Levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, soluble E-selectin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor p55 and p75 in atopic children.

Department of Immunology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

During inflammation, membrane expression of adhesion molecules and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptors (TNF-R) are increased, and soluble forms of these molecules are released. This study analyzed plasma levels of sICAM-1 and sE-selectin as well as TNF-alpha, sTNF-R55, and sTNF-R75 in nonallergic (NAA) and allergic asthma patients (AA), atopic dermatitis patients (AD), and healthy children (HC) by ELISA. Plasma levels of sICAM-1, sE-selectin, and sTNF-R, but not TNF-alpha, were detectable, but were not significantly different between the patient groups and healthy children. In the AA group, a significant correlation (rs = 0.78, P = 0.008) was found between sICAM-1 and sE-selectin levels. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between sTNF-R55 and sTNF-R75 levels in the AA group (rs = 0.70, P = 0.025) and in the AD group (rs = 0.69, P = 0.027). In AD patients, a significant correlation was observed between sE-selectin and the disease severity, as measured by the SCORAD index (rs = 0.73, P = 0.038). Our data demonstrate that plasma levels of sICAM-1, sE-selectin, TNF-alpha, sTNF-R55, and sTNF-R75 were not different between atopic and nonatopic children during a stable phase of the disease. In AD patients, levels of sE-selectin seemed to be related to clinical severity of the disease.