Elevated Levels ofSoluble Adhesion Molecules inSerumofPatients With Diffuse Panbronchiolitis

Study objective: Adhesion molecules havebeenimplicated inthepathogenesis ofinflammatory diseases. Thisstudy was designed todetermine whether soluble adhesion molecules inserum reflect thedisease activity indiffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB). Patients andmethods: Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we measured theserum levels ofsoluble L-,E-,andP-selectin (sL-, sE-, andsP-selectin), intercellular adhesion molecule-1, andvascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in27patients withDPB,13withbronchiec¬ tasis, and15normaladults. BAL was alsoperformed, andthelevels ofinterleukin (IL)-8 and IL-lp inBALfluid (BALF) were measured. Results: Theserum levels ofthesemolecules were significantly elevated inDPB patients compared withthecontrol subjects. DPBpatients also hadsignificant high levels ofcirculating sE-andsP-selectin compared withpatients withbronchiectasis. There was asignificant correla¬ tionbetween serum sE-selectin andthepercentage ofneutrophils inBALFinallpatients. There was asignificant inverse correlation between serum sE-selectin andpercent vital capacity inDPB patients. Inthesame patients, therelationships between serum sE-selectin andBALF concen¬ trations ofIL-lp as well as between serum sL-selectin andBALF IL-8were alsosignificant. Treatment ofDPB patients withmacrolides significantly reduced theserum levels ofthese soluble adhesion molecules andBALFconcentrations ofIL-lp andIL-8. Conclusions: Ourresults suggest thatthese soluble adhesion molecules, particularly selectins, mayreflect thedisease activity ofDPB,andthattheir levels mayberegulated bycytokines produced inthe lungs. (CHEST 1997; 112:1615-21) ; interleukin-lp; interleukin-8; soluble adhesion molecules Abbreviations: ANOVA=analysis ofvariance; BALF=BALfluid; DPB=diffuse panbronchiolitis; ELISA=enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; FMLP=N-Formyl-methionyl-leucyl-p henylalanine; ICAM-1=intercellular adhesion molecule-1; IL- 8=interleukin-8; IL-ip=interleukm-l|3;