Serum levels of adhesion molecules in haematopoietic tumours

Serum level of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in children with malignant lymphoma

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (s-ICAM-1) in children newly diagnosed with lymphoma and to correlate levels of s-ICAM-1 in lymphoma patients with clinical stage, pathological types, clinical and laboratory data and patient outcome.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Thirty-five children with newly-diagnosed malignant lymphoma (Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, NHL: 23), Hodgkin's disease (HD: 12), and 8 apparently healthy subjects of matched age and sex taken as a control group were studied. For the patients and control group, the following tests were performed: complete blood count, and the following biochemical investigations: liver function tests, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and soluble ICAM-1 estimation using ELISA. In addition, for patients, pathological examination of lymph node biopsy for pathological grading, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy were done. Patients were observed for over 12 months or until death.

RESULTS

Serum ICAM-1 increased more in HD and NHL than in the control group (p < 0.000); also s-ICAM-1 increased in advanced stages and high-grade NHL (p < 0.008, 0.04, respectively). LDH levels were higher in patients compared to controls (p < 0.000). There was a positive correlation between high levels of s-ICAM-1 and increased levels of LDH in HD (r = 0.72, p < 0.008) and a positive correlation between high levels of s-ICAM-1 and increased ALT in NHL patients. A positive correlation between s-ICAM-1 levels and the presence of B symptoms in HD and NHL, and a positive correlation between elevated s-ICAM-1 levels and worse outcome in HD and NHL were detected.

CONCLUSIONS

The data indicate that in children with malignant lymphoma, high serum levels of ICAM-1 correlated with tumor aggressiveness, and quantification of s-ICAM-1 levels may identify a subgroup of children with worse prognosis. Therefore, detection of s-ICAM-1 levels in children with malignant lymphoma might represent an additional disease-associated marker for use in the clinical management of the patients.

Clinical significance of circulating endothelial adhesion molecules (sE-selectin and sICAM) in untreated multiple myeloma patients

BACKGROUND

The expression of adhesion molecules is important for the interaction of myeloma cells with the bone marrow microenvironment. In the current study, serum soluble adhesion molecules (sICAM-1 and sE-selectin) were measured in untreated multiple myeloma (MM) patients in relation with other markers of disease activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study group consisted of 67 patients with MM (classified according to the Durie-Salmon classification) and 15 controls. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), sICAM-1 and sE-selectin concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, the monoclonal protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration were also determined.

RESULTS

Serum sICAM-1 level increased significantly at advanced stages of MM and was higher in comparison to controls (p<0.01). sE-selectin increased significantly with advancing stage of the disease, but did not differ from controls. IL-6, ESR and M-component were significantly higher and Hb concentrations lower with advancing stage of disease. There was a positive correlation of IL-6 with sICAM-1 and sE-selectin.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that serum sICAM-1 differs in multiple myeloma patients from normals and together with sE-selectin increase in parallel to increasing stage of disease, which may reflect a dysregulation and possible involvement of these adhesion molecules in myeloma progression.