Circulating levels of soluble E-selectin, P-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Objective. To measure circulating levels of soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin), sP-selectin, and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in patients with active juvenile idiopathic arthritides (JIA), and to evaluate their correlation with disease activity variables and cytokine levels. Methods. Serum levels of sE-selectin, sP-selectin, and sICAM-1 were measured by ELISA in 42 patients with JIA and in 15 healthy controls. Results. Circulating levels of sE-selectin and sICAM-1, but not sP-selectin, were significantly elevated in patients with active systemic JIA. In patients with active polyarticular or pauciarticular JIA serum levels of sE-selectin, sP-selectin, and sICAM-1 were comparable to those of controls. In patients with systemic JIA, levels of sE-selectin and sICAM-1 were significantly correlated with levels of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (sTNFR2), but not with those of interleukin 6 (IL-6) or IL-1β. Conclusion. Patients with active systemic JIA have elevated circulating levels of sE-selectin and sICAM-1. The correlation with sTNFR2, together with previous data on the TNF system in systemic JIA, suggests that TNF activated endothelial cells are the soure of sE-selectin and sICAM-1 in this disease.