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Soluble adhesion molecules (sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1) in cerebrospinal fluid and serum correlate with MRI activity in

P Rieckmann1, B Altenhofen, A Riegel

  • 1Department of Neurology, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany.

Annals of Neurology
|March 1, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Researchers found that levels of specific soluble adhesion molecules in cerebrospinal fluid and serum correlate with active brain lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, as seen on MRI scans. This suggests these molecules reflect disease activity in the central nervous system.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimmunology
  • Neuroimaging
  • Biomarker Discovery

Background:

  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system.
  • Assessing active MS lesions often involves gadolinium-enhanced MRI, but biomarkers reflecting this activity are needed.
  • Soluble adhesion molecules (sICAM-1, sVCAM-1) are implicated in inflammatory processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To correlate quantitative brain MRI activity (gadolinium enhancement) with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum levels of soluble adhesion molecules in newly diagnosed MS patients.
  • To investigate the relationship between these biomarkers and inflammatory markers in CSF.
  • To explore the association between lesion location and adhesion molecule levels.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study involving 46 newly diagnosed MS patients and 30 controls with other CNS diseases.
  • Simultaneous brain MRI with gadolinium contrast and lumbar puncture for CSF and serum analysis.
  • Quantification of gadolinium-enhancing lesions and measurement of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) levels.

Main Results:

  • Gadolinium-enhancing lesions were detected in 70% of MS patients and 80% of acute viral encephalitis patients, but none in non-inflammatory controls.
  • Significant correlations were found between CSF/serum ratios of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1, and their serum levels, with the area of gadolinium-enhancing lesions.
  • No correlation was observed with CSF cell count, protein, or immunoglobulin production.
  • A strong negative correlation existed between lesion distance from ventricles and CSF/serum ratios of sICAM-1/albumin and sVCAM-1/albumin in patients with single periventricular lesions.

Conclusions:

  • Intrathecal production of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1, along with serum sVCAM-1 levels, reflects MRI-detected activity in typical periventricular MS lesions.
  • These soluble adhesion molecules may serve as potential biomarkers for active central nervous system inflammation in MS.

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