Sari Refik Ali, Kiziltunç Ahmet, Tays'y Seyithan, Akdem'yr Serpil, Gündoğdu Mehmet
Department of Immunology/Rheumatology, Atatürk University Medical School, 25240, Erzurum, Turkey.
Department of Biochemistry, Atatürk University Medical School, 25240, Erzurum, Turkey.
Clin Rheumatol. 2005 Feb;24(1):55-9. doi: 10.1007/s10067-004-0982-8. Epub 2004 Aug 28.
Behçet's disease is a systemic vasculitis of unknown aetiology. Endothelial cell injury plays an important role in the pathogenesis and immunopathology of Behçet's disease. E-selectin is expressed by activated endothelial cells. Because the selectin adhesion molecules are shed from activated cells, soluble forms of these proteins can be used as activation markers of endothelium (E-selectin). The pathogenesis of Behçet's disease (BD) is closely related to endothelial cells, leucocyte functions and immunity. The aim of this study was to investigate circulating E-selectin adhesion molecules, which are known to play a significant part in the immune response especially by regulating interaction of the leucocytes with endothelium in BD. Plasma E-selectin concentrations were evaluated in 23 patients with BD and 20 healthy control subjects. The disease activity was evaluated by clinical manifestations (oral aphthous ulcer, genital ulceration, positive pathergy test, skin lesions, eye involvement, thrombophlebitis and arthritis) and by laboratory investigations [erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP)]. The patients were newly or previously diagnosed cases not taking any drug for BD. Levels of E-selectin were measured with commercially available sandwich enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits using human sE-selectin (cat. no: BMS 205). Plasma E-selectin concentrations of patients and controls were compared with the Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical significance was assigned to p values lower than 0.05. Serum levels (mean±SD) of soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) were significantly higher in 23 patients with BD than in 20 healthy controls (53.2 ± 18.2 ng/ml vs 33.8 ± 7.5 ng/ml, p < 0.0001). A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between sE-selectin levels and CRP and ESR in patients with BD (r = 0. 78, p < 0.001 and r = 0.56, p < 0.01, respectively). Increases in the E-selectin in BD may be a direct consequence of the leucocyte and endothelium activations observed during the disease process. The noninvasive investigations can be used as biochemical markers for inflammation. This may provide additional information regarding disease activity along with the traditional indices such as ESR and CRP.
白塞病是一种病因不明的系统性血管炎。内皮细胞损伤在白塞病的发病机制和免疫病理学中起重要作用。E-选择素由活化的内皮细胞表达。由于选择素黏附分子从活化细胞上脱落，这些蛋白的可溶性形式可作为内皮激活标志物（E-选择素）。白塞病（BD）的发病机制与内皮细胞、白细胞功能和免疫密切相关。本研究的目的是调查循环E-选择素黏附分子，已知其在免疫反应中起重要作用，特别是通过调节BD中白细胞与内皮细胞的相互作用。对23例BD患者和20名健康对照者的血浆E-选择素浓度进行了评估。通过临床表现（口腔溃疡、生殖器溃疡、针刺试验阳性、皮肤病变、眼部受累、血栓性静脉炎和关节炎）和实验室检查[红细胞沉降率（ESR）和C反应蛋白（CRP）]评估疾病活动度。患者为新诊断或既往诊断的病例，未服用任何治疗BD的药物。使用市售的夹心酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）试剂盒（人sE-选择素，货号：BMS 205）测量E-选择素水平。采用Mann-Whitney U检验比较患者和对照组的血浆E-选择素浓度。p值低于0.05具有统计学意义。23例BD患者的可溶性E-选择素（sE-选择素）血清水平（均值±标准差）显著高于20名健康对照者（53.2±18.2 ng/ml对33.8±7.5 ng/ml，p<0.0001）。BD患者中，sE-选择素水平与CRP和ESR之间存在显著的正相关（分别为r = 0.78，p<0.001和r = 0.56，p<0.01）。BD中E-选择素的升高可能是疾病过程中观察到的白细胞和内皮细胞激活的直接结果。这些非侵入性检查可作为炎症的生化标志物。这可能会提供有关疾病活动度的额外信息，以及诸如ESR和CRP等传统指标。
