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Central events in the host defence system and immune-mediated damage are tightly regulated by cell adhesion molecules. Sera from 28 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infected children divided into groups according to disease severity, six seroreverting (SR) children and 25 healthy controls were studied to detect the presence of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (s-ICAM-1). Soluble ICAM-1 levels were found to be significantly increased in HIV-infected children in comparison with SR children or healthy controls. Levels of soluble ICAM-1 were higher in patients with severe forms of HIV-infection than in those with a milder form of the disease. Significant differences in titers of s-ICAM-1 were recorded between SR children and HIV-infected children with mild disease or healthy controls. There was a significant correlation between s-ICAM-1 levels and the concentrations of beta 2 microglobulin (β2m) and, to a lesser extend, immunoglobulin A levels (IgA). Soluble ICAM-1 levels didn't change considerably in HIV-infected children in stable clinical conditions, independently of their clinical stage of the disease, during a follow-up period of 9–12 months. Conversely, s-ICAM-1 levels increased simultaneously with the appearance of new well-defined clinical disorders or decreased during the improvement of clinical conditions. A significant negative correlation was recorded between the titers of the s-ICAM-1 and the CD4+ T-cell levels. These results suggest that the s-ICAM-1 might be another useful tool to evaluate disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is a cytokine-induced glycoprotein involved in the recruitment of cells into tissues undergoing inflammatory responses. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of soluble ICAM-1 (s-ICAM-1) in children with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to evaluate the usefulness of this molecule as marker of disease activity. Levels of s-ICAM-1 were measured in sera using a monoclonal antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay. Serum levels (mean ± SD) of s-ICAM-1 in 37 children with JCA, 18 patients suffering from SLE and 25 healthy controls were 609 ± 184, 513 ± 139 and 210 ± 95 ng/ml, respectively. A significant difference could be demonstrated between the levels of s-ICAM-1 in sera from each disease, as a group, and those of healthy controls. Higher levels of s-ICAM-1 were recorded in JCA patients with systemic features and patients who had polyarthritis than in children who were pauciarticular. A positive correlation was observed between s-ICAM-1 levels and disease activity score in SLE patients. Moreover, s-ICAM-1 levels closely followed clinical conditions in five children with SLE during follow-up. The data show that s-ICAM-1 levels are increased in children suffering from connective tissue diseases and reflect disease status or activity, suggesting the usefulness of this molecule in the follow-up of these diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]