Serum Soluble Adhesion Molecules (sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, sE-selectin) and Neopterin in Patients with Sjögren's Syndrome

Abstract

Sjögren's syndrome is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by focal lymphocytic infiltration of the salivary and lacrimal glands. Expression and up-regulation of adhesion molecules and activation of cellular immune system is essential for the migration of inflammatory cells into tissues. Soluble forms of adhesion molecules sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, sE-selectin and neopterin were analyzed in serum of 17 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome and 11 patients with secondary Sjögren's syndrome together with 26 age-matched healthy blood donors. There were significantly higher serum concentrations (mean ± 1SD) of sICAM-1 (362.0 ± 67.9 ng/ml, p<0.001), sE-selectin (78.7 ± 28.1 ng/ml, p<0.001) and neopterin (17.9 ± 6.4 nmol/l, p<0.001) in primary Sjögren's syndrome patients in comparison to control group (sICAM-1: 128.3 ± 46.9 ng/ml, sE-selectin: 46.3 ± 39.5 ng/ml, and neopterin: 7.6 ± 2.3 nmol/l). Sera from patients with secondary Sjögren's disease contained significantly higher levels of sICAM-1 (356.0 ± 62.4 ng/ml, p<0.001), sE-selectin (65.5 ± 27.0 ng/ml, p<0.05), and neopterin (18.8 ± 9.8 nmol/l, p<0.001) in comparison with control group. There were no significant differences between patients with primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome in any parameters tested. No statistically significant differences in serum levels of sVCAM-1 were found either in patients with primary or secondary SS compared to control group.

Neopterin measurement in clinical diagnosis

“…Elevated levels of serum and/or urinary NP have been observed in rheumatoid arthritis (61, 62), glomerulonephritis (14, 63), Sjogren’s syndrome (64) and Grave’s disease (65). In autoimmune diseases, NP is produced locally by the infiltrating macrophages (8).…”

Alterations in the Salivary Proteome and N-Glycome of Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients

“…Interestingly, immunoblotting showed that the cell surface receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) was overexpressed in labial salivary glands of SS patients relative to control samples, with the opposite pattern observed in serum . In addition, serum levels of the soluble (s) forms of highly glycosylated adhesion molecules, sICAM-1, sE-selectin, neopterin, and sL-selectin, were significantly elevated in SS patients as compared with a control group. , Recently, it was reported that the concentration of MUC5B and MUC7 in whole saliva were similar between pSS patients and healthy individuals. Nevertheless, immunoblotting and glycan staining revealed a pSS-associated reduction in mucin glycosylation that was particularly prominent in association with MUC7 …”

A systematic review and meta-analysis of neopterin in rheumatic diseases

“…Thirty studies (34 study groups) reported serum or plasma neopterin concentrations in a total of 2,618 RD patients (mean age 43 years, 32% males) and 5,318 healthy controls (mean age 42 years, 47% males) ( 55 , 59 , 61 , 64 – 67 , 69 – 87 , 89 , 90 ).…”

“…Twenty studies were conducted in Asia ( 55 , 59 , 65 , 66 , 69 , 70 , 72 – 74 , 77 , 78 , 80 – 82 , 84 – 89 ), six in Europe ( 61 , 62 , 64 , 67 , 79 , 90 ), three in Africa ( 71 , 75 , 83 ), and the remaining one in America ( 76 ). Ten study groups included patients with RA ( 55 , 76 , 78 – 81 , 83 , 86 , 89 , 90 ), nine with SLE ( 55 , 65 , 70 , 71 , 75 – 77 , 82 , 84 ), eight with BD ( 59 , 65 , 66 , 69 , 72 – 74 , 87 ), three with IIM ( 62 , 88 ), two with pSS ( 64 , 67 ), one with SSc ( 61 ), and one with AS ( 85 ). The analytical methods used for measuring neopterin included an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 18 studies ( 61 , 64 – 67 , 69 – 71 , 74 – 76 , 78 , 79 , 81 , 85 , 86 ,...…”