Cellular adhesion molecules and blood pressure: interaction with sex in a multi-ethnic population

To clarify the association between blood pressure and four different adhesion molecules, adjusting for potential confounders, in men and women from different ethnic origins.

The soluble (s) plasma adhesion molecules sP-selectin, sE-selectin, intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were measured in 261 white (120 women), 188 African origin (99 women) and 215 South Asian (99 women) individuals living in England. All were free from coronary heart disease, stroke, other cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and were not receiving drug treatment for hypertension or high lipids, hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives.

After adjustment for age, only sE-selectin concentrations were significantly associated with blood pressure. There was a significant interaction of sex with systolic (P = 0.013), diastolic (P = 0.042) and pulse (P = 0.015) pressures. After adjustment for age, ethnicity, body mass index and smoking, the significant interaction of sex persisted and in women the associations with systolic (P < 0.001), diastolic (P < 0.001) or pulse (P = 0.004) pressure were unchanged, but in men the association with diastolic blood pressure was abolished. Finally, the association appeared to be present in women younger than 50 years, who were likely to be premenopausal.

The relationship between adhesion molecules and blood pressure is adhesion molecule specific and varies with sex and age, which may partially explain previous inconsistencies in the literature. The mechanisms relating blood pressure to adhesion molecule concentrations are unknown, but they are likely to be modified by the menopause. These differences may relate to the production, clearance or cell-surface shedding of the adhesion molecules.