title: Raised levels of circulating VCAM-1 and circulating E-selectin in patients with recurrent oral ulceration.
abstract: Endothelial cell (EC) adhesion molecules VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1), E-selectin and ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1) are essential for the binding of inflammatory cells to ECs. Recently, circulating forms of these molecules have been detected in a number of vasculitic disease processes. Recurrent oral ulceration (ROU) has some features of a vasculitic disease process. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to compare cVCAM-1, cE-selectin and cICAM-1 levels in 50 patients with ROU and 50 age- and sex-matched controls. Levels of circulating adhesion molecules were quantified using specific "sandwich" ELISA assays. The cVCAM-1 and cE-selectin levels were significantly raised in ROU patients (P < 0.00005 and P < 0.05, respectively) but there was no significant increase in cICAM-1 levels. These findings may result from endothelial cell activation or damage at the ulcer site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Periodontology, London Hospital Medical College, England.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Healy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Enobakhare
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Haskard
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Thornhill
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D019040:E-Selectin; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1