[Serum levels of adhesion molecules (sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sP-selectin) in children and adolescents with thyroid diseases].
The targeting and recruitment of inflammatory cells to vascular endothelium in Graves' disease (GD) is mediated by intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and P-selectin. The aim of this study was to estimate the serum concentrations of soluble (sICAM-1), soluble (sVCAM-1) and soluble (sP-selectin) in patients with (GD) (n=44, mean age 14.8 years), with nontoxic nodular goiter (NTNG) (n=36, mean age 15.6 years) and in a group of healthy controls (n=20, mean age 14.5 years). ELISA method was used to determine the concentrations of adhesion molecules and antithyroglobulin and antithyroid peroxidase antibodies in patients with thyroid diseases. The anti-TSH receptor autoantibodies (TRAbs) were evaluated using a radio receptor assay (RRA). The serum levels of sICAM-1,sVCAM-1 and sP-selectin were markedly elevated in patients with GD before treatment with methimazole (p<0.0001 for all) and after 8 weeks of therapy (p<0.001 for sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1, p<0.014 for sP-selectin). After 24 months of therapy, serum concentrations of sVCAM-1 and sP-selectin were normalized, whereas serum level of sICAM-1 remained elevated. Furthermore, patients with NTNG showed a slighty elevated sICAM concentration. Serum levels of sICAM-1,sVCAM-1 and sP-selectin in patients with GD correlated with the serum concentrations of triiodothyronine (r=0.42, 0.45; 0.42, respectively) and thyroxine (NS, r=0.39; 0.46, respectively). Moreover, we observed a positive correlation between serum levels of TPO-Abs, TG-Abs, TRAbs and sICAM-1 (r=0.51; 0.40; 0.41 respectively) and sVCAM-1 (r=0.49; 0.38; 0.52, respectively). However, in patients with NTNG no correlation between serum level of adhesion molecules or thyroid hormones and serum level of antithyroid antibodies, respectively, was found. We conclude that the antithyroid antibodies involved in the pathogenesis of Graves' disease cause the elevation of the levels of adhesion molecules, which act as mediators of lymphocyte inflow and adhesion to the tissue of the thyroid gland. The evaluation of the serum level of soluble forms of adhesion molecules in children and adolescents with hyperthyroidism allows control over the autoimmune process.
Bossowski
A
A
Urban
M
M
Citko
A
A
Sobotko
J
J
Bossowska
A
A