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Published on: September 15, 2017
[Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-I levels in sera of patients with Kawasaki disease]
1Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Juntendo University.
Insights
Serum soluble ICAM-1 levels increase during acute Kawasaki disease (KD), unlike in anaphylactoid purpura or measles. Elevated levels correlate with coronary artery damage severity in KD patients.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Vascular Biology
Context:
- Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile illness that can lead to coronary artery lesions (CAL).
- Understanding the immunological markers associated with KD severity is crucial for timely intervention.
Purpose:
- To investigate serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in acute Kawasaki disease.
- To compare ICAM-1 levels in KD with those in anaphylactoid purpura (AP) and measles.
- To assess the correlation between ICAM-1 levels and coronary artery lesions (CAL) in KD.
Summary:
- Serum soluble ICAM-1 levels were significantly elevated in acute KD patients compared to those with AP or measles.
- Higher ICAM-1 levels were observed in acute KD patients with CAL compared to those without CAL.
- A positive correlation was found between serum ICAM-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels during acute KD.
Impact:
- Serum soluble ICAM-1 may serve as a valuable immunologic marker for assessing vascular damage severity in acute KD.
- These findings contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of KD and potential therapeutic targets.
Abstract:
We investigated whether serum levels of soluble ICAM-1 antigens increases during acute Kawasaki disease (KD). We also compared levels in acute KD with those in anaphylactoid purpura (AP) and in measles. Serum soluble ICAM-1 levels were measured by a double determinant immunoassay using two monoclonal antibodies in the FAST system. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured by a specific and sensitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay. Patients with KD, but not with AP or measles, had increased ICAM-1 levels in serum during the acute stage. In addition, during the acute stage, KD patients with coronary-artery lesions (CAL) were found to have increased ICAM-1 levels in serum compared to patients without CAL. We found a positive correlation between serum levels of ICAM-1 and levels of TNF-alpha during acute KD. Our results suggest that the serum level of soluble ICAM-1 is an important immunologic parameter for determining the severity of vascular damage during acute KD.

