title: Serum levels of circulating ICAM-1 are increased in Hodgkin's disease.
abstract: The intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is the ligand for the lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1). The ICAM-1/LFA-1 complex mediates cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and is believed to be crucial for several immunological functions, including non-MHC-restricted cytotoxicity. Recently, a circulating form of the surface ICAM-1 molecule, the 82 kDa cICAM, has been identified. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) we have examined 82 kDa cICAM-1 levels in the sera of 45 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects and 130 consecutive patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD). The mean +/- SD concentration of the 82 kDa cICAM-1 was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in HD patients (725.6 +/- 141 ng/ml) than in healthy controls (403.5 +/- 54.5 ng/ml). Patients with B-symptoms (n = 66) had higher cICAM-1 levels than patients without systemic symptoms (n = 64) (825.1 +/- 202.9 ng/ml versus 671.7 +/- 164.9 ng/ml; p < 0.001). Serum levels of cICAM-1 were also significantly higher (p < 0.05) in patients with disseminated disease (stage III and IV) than in those with localized disease (stage I and II). The HD patients in stage III and IV with B-symptoms had significantly higher (p < 0.001 and p < 0.02, respectively) cICAM-1 levels then stage III/IV patients lacking B-symptoms. The increase of cICAM-1 concentrations was positively correlated to increases of soluble receptors for interleukin-2 (sIL-2R) (r = 0.69; p < 0.001). Since cICAM-1 is functionally able to bind to LFA-1, increased serum levels of this molecule could be a mechanism for promoting de-adhesion and inability of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells (H-RS) to be recognized by cytotoxic effector cells, and could thus represent a way for these cells to escape immunosurveillance and for progression and spreading of disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Freiburg Medical Center, Germany.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gruss
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dölken
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Brach
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mertelsmann
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Herrmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1