Serum intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in alcoholic liver disease and its relationship with histological disease severity.
BACKGROUND
Infiltration of the liver by leukocytes is a histological feature of alcoholic liver disease. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) mediates the migration of lymphocytes from the circulation to target sites of inflammation. It has been demonstrated in the liver of alcoholic liver disease subjects and as a circulating soluble form (sICAM-1). The origin of sICAM-1 and its relationship to disease severity is unknown, although it has been postulated that it may arise from activated T lymphocytes and is an inflammatory marker.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to determine the relationship of sICAM-1 to clinical and histological severity of alcoholic liver disease and to serum T-cell (soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), beta 2-microglobulin) and monocyte (neopterin) immune activation markers.


METHODS
Serum from 48 outpatients with biopsy proven alcoholic liver disease (steatosis = 9, cirrhosis = 28, hepatitis +/- cirrhosis = 11), 31 with primary biliary cirrhosis and 27 normals was assayed for sICAM-1, sIL-2R, beta 2-microglobulin, and neopterin.


RESULTS
sICAM-1 was significantly elevated, p = 0.0001, in alcoholic liver disease and primary biliary cirrhosis patients compared to normals. Circulating sIL-2R (p = 0.0001) and beta 2-microgloblin (p = 0.0034) were significantly elevated in alcoholic liver disease compared to controls. There was a highly significant correlation between levels of sICAM-1 and histological grade of disease, Rs = 0.80 (p = 0.0001), but no significant correlation with clinical correlates of disease severity or circulating immune activation markers.


CONCLUSIONS
sICAM-1 is elevated in alcoholic liver disease, is a marker of histological severity of disease and does not appear to originate from activated T lymphocytes. Measurements of sICAM-1 may be useful in assessing histological severity of alcoholic liver disease.
Douds
A C
AC
Department of Medicine, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, United Kingdom.
Lim
A G
AG
Jazrawi
R P
RP
Finlayson
C
C
Maxwell
J D
JD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin