title: Impact of rHuEPO therapy initiation on soluble adhesion molecule levels in haemodialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased levels of soluble adhesion molecules have been reported in haemodialysis (HD) patients. Recent studies have shown that recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) elicits proliferation and migration of endothelial cells and modifies endothelial function. The present study was design to explore the effects of rHuEPO on serum levels of soluble adhesion molecules in HD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Soluble serum levels of E-selectin (sE-selectin), intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were measured by ELISA in 29 rHuEPO naïve HD patients (20 males, 9 females) and 10 control subjects at baseline and second month. The HD patients with a haemoglobin level lower than 10.0 mg/dL (n = 19) were administered rHuEPO therapy and other HD patients (n = 10) were followed as a placebo group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of soluble adhesion molecules were significantly higher in HD patients compared with the control group. A significant rise from the baseline in sE-selectin levels (77 +/- 70 vs 100 +/- 86 ng/mL, P < 0.05) was observed 2 months after rHuEPO initiation, while sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 levels decreased (271 +/- 261 vs 197 +/- 89 and 1043 +/- 243 vs 990 +/- 236 ng/mL, respectively, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present data indicate that rHuEPO could have an important action on serum levels of soluble adhesion molecules in HD patients. rHuEPO might modify the expression of adhesion molecules from endothelial cells either. However, the exact mechanism responsible for the serum elevation of these molecules in HD patients is yet to be fully elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Hacettepe University Hospital, Department of Nephrology, Ankara, Turkey. drserkan@hacettepe.edu.tr
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kahraman
authors.forename: Rahmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kirkpantur
authors.forename: Gultekin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Genctoy
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arici
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Altun
authors.forename: Yunus
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.forename: Unal
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yasavul
authors.forename: Cetin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turgan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012995:Solubility; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D004921:Erythropoietin; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1