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Single-cell Analysis of Immunophenotype and Cytokine Production in Peripheral Whole Blood via Mass Cytometry
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Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in the sera of patients with systemic sclerosis: enhancement by

H Ihn1, S Sato, M Fujimoto

  • 1Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.

British Journal of Rheumatology
|February 4, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (cICAM-1) levels are elevated in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, correlating with disease severity and specific complications. This suggests cICAM-1 plays a role in SSc immune responses.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Rheumatology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis and vascular abnormalities.
  • Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (cICAM-1) is a marker implicated in inflammatory and immune processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate serum and cellular levels of cICAM-1 in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
  • To explore the correlation between cICAM-1 levels and clinical manifestations of SSc.
  • To examine the in vitro release of cICAM-1 from SSc cells stimulated by inflammatory cytokines.

Main Methods:

  • Serum samples from 88 SSc patients and 20 healthy controls were analyzed for cICAM-1 using sandwich ELISA.
  • cICAM-1 levels were also measured in supernatants of cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and dermal fibroblasts from 10 SSc patients and 10 controls.
  • The effect of inflammatory cytokines (interferon-gamma, interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha) on cICAM-1 release was assessed in vitro.

Main Results:

  • Serum cICAM-1 levels were significantly higher in SSc patients compared to healthy controls.
  • Elevated serum cICAM-1 levels were observed in diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) compared to limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc).
  • Serum cICAM-1 levels correlated with phalangeal contracture, pulmonary fibrosis, joint involvement, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
  • Increased cICAM-1 release was found in PBMC cultures from SSc patients.
  • Inflammatory cytokines enhanced cICAM-1 release from SSc cells in vitro.

Conclusions:

  • Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (cICAM-1) is elevated in systemic sclerosis (SSc).
  • cICAM-1 levels correlate with specific clinical features and disease subsets in SSc.
  • These findings indicate a potential role for cICAM-1 in the immune pathogenesis of SSc.

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