Correlation between the levels of circulating adhesion molecules and PR3-ANCA in Wegener's granulomatosis

Objective: The adhesion of neutrophils to the vascular endothelial cells ap pears to be important for the pathogenesis of vasculitis in Wegener's granu lomatosis (WG). To determine the pathological significance of the neutrophi l adhesion, we have examined and evaluated the relationships between the le vels of adhesion molecules and proteinase-3 anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic ant ibodies (PR3-ANCA), and between the levels of TNF-a and disease activities in WG. Methods: sELAM-1 and sICAM-1 in sera from WG and healthy donors were detect ed by ELISA. SLe(x) and LFA-1 on neutrophils were detected by flow cytometr y. Results: The level of sICAM-1 was significantly higher in active WG than in inactive WG, tending to reflect individual disease activities. There was n o difference in the level of sELAM-1 between WG patients and healthy donors . Conclusion: Our study suggests that the adhesion of neutrophils to the vasc ular endothelium is significant for the pathogenesis of the vasculitis in W G. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.