title: Circulating adhesion molecules and tumor necrosis factor receptor in multiple sclerosis: correlation with magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: Adhesion molecules are important in T-cell trafficking to sites of inflammation. We determined levels of circulating vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), L-selectin, and E-selectin in the serum of 147 patients with definite multiple sclerosis of the remitting-relapsing or secondary progressive type. Soluble VCAM-1 and L-selectin concentrations were increased compared to levels in a large group of control subjects. Levels were highest in patients with gadolinium-enhancing lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (VCAM-1: 1,011 +/- 276 vs 626 +/- 87 ng/ml; L-selectin: 1,130 +/- 272 vs 793 +/- 207 ng/ml [mean +/- standard deviation]; p < 0.0001 vs patients without enhancing lesions). Serum levels of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (60 kd) were also raised (2.64 +/- 1.23 vs 2.17 +/- 0.69 ng/ml in subjects with other neurological diseases and 2.1 +/- 0.77 ng/ml in healthy control subjects; p < 0.05). Soluble VCAM-1 and L-selectin levels were correlated to concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor. In 13 patients with viral encephalitis, similar observations were made. Raised levels of soluble VCAM-1 and L-selectin probably reflect cytokine-induced endothelial cell and T-lymphocyte/monocyte activation occurring in the process of T-cell migration into the central nervous system. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha may be critically involved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hartung
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reiners
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Archelos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michels
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seeldrayers
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Heidenreich
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Pflughaupt
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Toyka
mesh_terms: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D019040:E-Selectin; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019041:L-Selectin; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D019041:L-Selectin