title: Expression of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) on the surface of circulating endothelial cells is upregulated in Kawasaki disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) on the surface of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The positive rate of RAGE on the surface of CECs (CECs-RAGE/CECs) and the fluorescence intensity of RAGE on the surface of CECs (FI-RAGE-CECs) were evaluated in 89 patients with KD in the acute stage (A-KD), subacute stage (SA-KD), or convalescent stage (C-KD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  CECs-RAGE/CECs and the FI-RAGE-CECs increased significantly in patients with KD. The CECs-RAGE/CECs was significantly higher in C-KD patients with coronary artery lesions (CALs) than in those without CALs. The FI-RAGE-CECs level was significantly higher in SA-KD and C-KD patients with CALs than in A-KD patients. In SA-KD and C-KD patients, the CECs-RAGE/CECs and FI-RAGE-CECs levels decreased in intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)-respondent patients but increased progressively in IVIG-resistant patients and were significantly higher in IVIG-resistant patients than in IVIG-respondent patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the expression levels of RAGE on the surface of CECs are upregulated in KD patients, and that the upregulated expression levels of RAGE on the surface of CECs can be aggravated in SA-KD and C-KD patients with CALs, and also in IVIG-resistant SA-KD and C-KD patients. The RAGE expression on CECs is involved in the pathophysiology of KD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China. gongfangqi@zju.edu.cn
authors.forename: Fangqi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chunhong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Songling
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Hongqiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D060467:Disease Resistance; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic