ICAM-1, SOLUBLE-CD23, AND INTERLEUKIN-10 CONCENTRATIONS IN SERUM IN RENAL-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS WITH EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS REACTIVATION

Primary and reactivated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections after orga n transplantation are associated with the development of posttransplan t lymphoproliferative malignancies. Since viral reactivation frequentl y stays asymptomatic, early diagnosis and treatment are challenges dur ing posttransplant patient monitoring, Both soluble-CD23 (sCD23) and i ntercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) cell surface expression as w ell as interleukin-10 (IL-10) production are closely associated with v iral gene expression, Therefore, immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, IgA, sCD 23, ICAM-1, and IL-10 concentrations were measured in serum samples fr om patients during EBV reactivation (n = 14) and were compared with th ose in samples from patients without EBV reactivation (n = 10) followi ng renal transplantation. In addition, serum sCD23, ICAM-1, and IL-10 concentrations were measured longitudinally in weekly to biweekly samp les from 10 patients with EBV reactivation for at least 20 weeks follo wing transplantation. A significant elevation of sCD23 was found durin g viral reactivation (P < 0.05), whereas ICAM-1 levels showed a nonsig nificant increase, The finding of a highly significant elevation of th e serum IL-10 concentration during EBV reactivation (P < 0.001) may su pport speculations about its role in EBV-induced lymphoproliferation a nd in the development of opportunistic infections and secondary malign ancies, Maximum serum IL-10 levels at the time of EBV reactivation wer e found in 7 of 10 patients, Well-defined ICAM-1 and sCD23 concentrati on peaks were found in 9 of 10 and 8 of 10 patients, respectively, Alt hough both markers are not specific for EBV reactivation and therefore may not be useful for primary diagnosis, sCD23 and ICAM-1 might be po tent tools for the clinical monitoring of EBV activity and virus-induc ed lymphoproliferation.