Expression of adhesion molecules in poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis

Because adhesion properties of leukocytes are important for the influx and localization of leukocytes in sites of inflammation, we studied, the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), lymphocyte-function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule- 1 (VCAM-1) and CD 11b in 14 kidney biopsies of PSGN patients, arbitrarily divided into early biopsies (less than 15 days after onset of PSGN) and late biopsies (17-90 days). In PSGN, intraglomerular ICAM-1 expression was increased in early biopsies (score 3.1 +/- SEM 0.2; P < 0.005) and decreased with time; in late biopsies the score (2.0 +/- 0.2) was similar to that of normal kidney (1.3 +/- 0.3). In the interstitium ICAM-1 was increased (early PSGN = 836 +/- 56 positive cells/mm2, late = 552 +/- 60.0; versus normal = 364 +/- 12.4; P < 0.05). LFA-1 expressing cells in glomeruli were also increased in early biopsies (10.0 +/- 2.1 positive cells per glomerular cross-section (gcs), versus normal 2.9 +/- 1.4; P < 0.05). In the interstitium, LFA-1 positive cells were increased (early PSGN = 221 +/- 79.6 cells/mm2, late PSGN = 134.5 +/- 45.1, normal = 21 +/- 8.7; P < 0.05). VCAM-1 in glomeruli and interstitium was not increased in PSGN. Our studies demonstrate increased expression of adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and LFA-1 in the kidney of PSGN patients, and these findings were more pronounced in early biopsies; adhesion molecules are probably involved in the inflammatory infiltration of this disease.