Levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, soluble E-selectin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor p55 and p75 in atopic children

During inflammation, membrane expression of adhesion molecules and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptors (TNF-R) are increased, and soluble forms of these molecules are released. This study analyzed plasma levels of sICAM-1 and sE-selectin as well as TNF-alpha, sTNF-R55, and sTNF-R75 in nonallergic (NAA) and allergic asthma patients (AA), atopic dermatitis patients (AD), and healthy children (HC) by ELISA. Plasma levels of sICAM-1, sE-selectin, and sTNF-R, but not TNF-alpha, were detectable, bur were not significantly different between the patient groups and healthy children. In the AA group, a significant correlation (r(s)=0.78, P=0.008) was found between sICAM-1 and sE-selectin levels. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between sTNF-R55 and sTNF-R75 levels in the AA group (r(s)=0.70, P=0.025) and in the AD group (r(s)=0.69, P=0.027). In AD patients, a significant correlation was observed between sE-selectin and the disease severity as measured by the SCORAD index (r(s)=0.73, P=0.038). Our data demonstrate that plasma levels of sICAM-1, sE-selectin, TNF-alpha, sTNF-R55. and sTNF-R75 were not different between atopic and nonatopic children during a stable phase of the disease. In AD patients, levels of sE-selectin seemed to be related to clinical severity of the disease.