Vascular cell adhesion molecule--a new approach to detect endothelial cell activation in MS and encephalitis in vivo.
BACKGROUND
Leukocyte migration into inflammatory lesions is controlled by adhesion molecules on activated vascular endothelium. Pivotal among these are E-selectin and the vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), which are found on very few cell types other than activated endothelium.


METHODS
We determined the presence of the soluble form of these adhesion molecules (sE-selectin and sVCAM-1) in serum and CSF of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), viral encephalitis, and controls, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.


RESULTS
MS patients with active, Gadolinium-DTPA-enhancing lesions on magnetic resonance imaging had significantly higher sVCAM-1 serum levels than normal controls. Patients with viral encephalitis had significantly higher levels of sVCAM-1 in serum and cerebrospinal fluid than controls. sE-selectin levels showed no significant variations.


CONCLUSIONS
Activated vascular endothelium controlling leukocyte migration may be demonstrated in MS patients in vivo by determining sVCAM-1 in serum. Furthermore, sVCAM-1 may be useful for monitoring inflammatory activity in central nervous system inflammatory disease.
Mössner
R
R
Department of Neurology, University of Heidelberg, Klinikum Mannheim, Germany.
Fassbender
K
K
Kühnen
J
J
Schwartz
A
A
Hennerici
M
M
D000328:Adult; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D012016:Reference Values; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*
D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1