Soluble CD163 levels in children with sickle cell disease

Abstract

Summary Sickle cell disease (SCD) is characterized by vasculopathy, which has been causally linked to intravascular haemolysis and high levels of free plasma haemoglobin. Soluble CD163 (sCD163) is implicated in the clearance of free plasma haemoglobin and high plasma concentrations have been linked to arterial disease. We therefore investigated the value of sCD163 as a biomarker in children with SCD, and also measured haptoglobin levels in this population. We measured sCD163 in 25 control children with no haemoglobinopathy, 41 with sickle cell anaemia (HbSS) in the steady state, 27 with HbSS taking hydroxycarbamide, and 7 with HbSC disease. There was no significant difference between sCD163 levels in steady‐state HbSS (1·78 mg/l) and controls (1·81 mg/l) (P = 0·86). However, sCD163 levels were significantly lower in those HbSS children taking hydroxycarbamide (1·35 mg/l) compared to both steady state HbSS (P = 0·004) and controls (P = 0·036). In children on hydroxycarbamide, sCD163 correlated negatively and highly significantly with percentage HbF (R = −0·76, P < 0·001), and this relationship was absent in those not taking hydroxycarbamide (R = 0·07, P = 0·65). sCD163 is a potentially useful biomarker in children with SCD, and may have a role in monitoring responses to hydroxycarbamide.

Soluble CD163 in young sickle cell disease patients and their trait siblings

“…In another study, although the studied number of SCD patients with acute pain was too small to allow statistical analysis, yet, acute pain was associated with increased sCD163 levels [21]. Our findings further confirmed these results.…”

“…Similarly, Moller et al [21] reported that hydroxyurea therapy significantly reduced sCD163 concentrations Soluble CD163 in SCD and SCT Tantawy et al 645 with parallel increase in HbF in SCD. The inverse relationship between sCD163 and HbF demonstrated in the current work further elucidated these results.…”

“…However, Moller et al [21] reported normal sCD163 levels in SCD patients at steady state with nonsignificant difference compared with controls and explained this by in-vitro studies, which showed a weak binding between sCD163 and HbHp complexes compared with the membrane-bound form. However, Moller et al [21] reported normal sCD163 levels in SCD patients at steady state with nonsignificant difference compared with controls and explained this by in-vitro studies, which showed a weak binding between sCD163 and HbHp complexes compared with the membrane-bound form.…”

“…The clinical relevance of sCD163 in SCD has not been fully elucidated and thus far, there has been only one study [21] that analyzed this biological marker in SCD while its role in SCT remains largely elusive. As SCD is a hereditary hemoglobinopathy [1] and because of the high rate of consanguineous marriages in Egypt [22], asymptomatic siblings of patients with SCD may have the same pathophysiology.…”

Soluble CD 163: A novel biomarker

“…[6] Thus, it is a macrophage-specific marker in patients with disorders of inappropriate macrophage activation. [7] Its values may be elevated in conditions as wide ranging as coronary atherosclerosis,[8] Gaucher's disease,[910] myeloid leukemia,[10] idiopathic arthritis,[11] and sickle cell anemia[12] to bacteremia. [13] Investigators have emphasized the potential role of sCD163 as a diagnostic parameter in hematological and inflammatory diseases.…”