Correlation of serum soluble eselectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 with disease activity and thrombotic manifestations in SLE

الملخص EN

Aim of study: To investigate whether the serum concentrations of soluble E-selectin and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) in SLE patients reflect disease activity to evaluate their role as markers of disease activity.

Also to correlate levels of soluble E-selectin and sVCAM-1 with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) to investigate the role of aPL in endothelial cell (EC) activation.

Materials & Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 20 SLE patients and 10 controls.

Levels of sE-selectin and sVCAM-1 were measured using the ELISA technique.

Levels were related to clinical disease activity (SLEDAI), levels of anti-dsDNA and anticardiolipin antibodies IgM and IgG.

Results: There was a highly significant increased level of sE-selectin and sVCAM-1 in SLE patients as compared to controls (p<0.001).

Levels of sE-selectin were higher in patients with DVT, abortion and visual affection than in patients without.

We found a significant positive correlation between sVCAM-1 levels and ESR, renal involvement, SLEDAI, and IgG anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL).

However, sE-selectin did not reflect disease activity.

Conclusion: Levels of sE-selectin and sVCAM-1 are increased in SLE and levels of sVCAM-1 reflect disease activity and increase in patients with thrombotic events or renal involvement.

There was a significant positive correlation between levels of sVCAM-1 and IgG anticardiolipin antibodies.

This favours the hypothesis that endothelial cells are activated by antiphospholipid antibodies and may support leukocyte adhesion.