RESUMO
We report a case of spinal cord toxoplasmosis occurring as a primary infection in a 31-year-old immunocompetent man. Exhaustive immunologic and genetic investigations did not identify any immunodeficiency. The causative agent was a typical type 2 strain. In cases of spinal cord lesions, toxoplasmosis should be considered, even in an immunocompetent patient.
Assuntos
Carne/parasitologia , Repetições de Microssatélites/genética , Toxoplasma/genética , Toxoplasmose Cerebral/diagnóstico , Adulto , Animais , Genótipo , Humanos , Masculino , Sus scrofa/parasitologia , Toxoplasma/classificação , Toxoplasmose Cerebral/parasitologiaRESUMO
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a disease characterized by antibody-mediated platelet destruction. The T- and B-cell subsets have been extensively studied in primary ITP, but the NK cell compartment has been less thoroughly explored. We investigated the NK cell receptor repertoire and the functionality of NK cells in the peripheral blood and spleen in patients with primary ITP. An immunophenotypic analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients revealed that the numbers of CD19+ B lymphocytes, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and CD3-CD56+ NK cells were within the normal range. No major alteration to the expression of distinct inhibitory or activating NK cell receptors was observed. The functionality of NK cells, as evaluated by their ability to degranulate in conditions of natural cytotoxicity or antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC), was preserved in these patients. By contrast, these stimuli induced lower levels of IFNγ production by the NK cells of ITP patients than by those of healthy controls. We then compared the splenic NK cell functions of ITP patients with those of cadaveric heart-beating donors (CHBD) as controls. The splenic NK cells of ITP patients tended to be less efficient in natural cytotoxicity conditions and more efficient in ADCC conditions than control splenic NK cells. Finally, we found that infusions of intravenous immunoglobulin led to the inhibition of NK cell activation through the modulation of the interface between target cells and NK cells.
Assuntos
Células Matadoras Naturais/imunologia , Púrpura Trombocitopênica Idiopática/imunologia , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Animais , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Células Cultivadas , Feminino , Humanos , Imunoglobulinas Intravenosas/farmacologia , Imunoglobulinas Intravenosas/uso terapêutico , Fatores Imunológicos/farmacologia , Fatores Imunológicos/uso terapêutico , Interferon gama/sangue , Interferon gama/imunologia , Células K562 , Células Matadoras Naturais/efeitos dos fármacos , Leucócitos Mononucleares , Masculino , Camundongos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Púrpura Trombocitopênica Idiopática/sangue , Púrpura Trombocitopênica Idiopática/tratamento farmacológico , Baço/citologia , Baço/imunologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: The Sézary syndrome (SS) is an aggressive form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) requiring a rapid diagnosis due to its poor prognosis. CASE REPORT: We report the first case of an eighty-nine-year-old woman who presented with concomitant Sezary syndrome and anasarca, revealing a nephrotic syndrome caused by a minimal change nephropathy associated with immunoglobulin A (IgA) deposits. Scarce literature described rare cases associating these two entities (nephrotic syndrome and nephropathy). However, the nephrotic syndrome was delayed from disease onset, secondary to immunosuppressive treatment of SS, or due to the weaning of SS therapy. Thus, the direct link between the glomerular lesion and the cutaneous lymphoma was difficult to establish. However, the synchronous occurrence of both SS and glomerulopathy in our patient, along with Sezary cells in both urines (urinary cytology) and biopsy, and resolution of nephropathy after treatment of SS, support the likely attributability of SS in glomerulopathy. CONCLUSION: Practitioners must acknowledge the possible occurrence of glomerular involvement in SS.
Assuntos
Glomerulonefrite por IGA , Nefrose Lipoide , Síndrome Nefrótica , Síndrome de Sézary , Neoplasias Cutâneas , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Feminino , Glomerulonefrite por IGA/complicações , Glomerulonefrite por IGA/diagnóstico , Humanos , Imunoglobulina A , Nefrose Lipoide/complicações , Nefrose Lipoide/diagnóstico , Síndrome Nefrótica/complicações , Síndrome Nefrótica/diagnóstico , Síndrome de Sézary/complicações , Síndrome de Sézary/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Cutâneas/complicações , Neoplasias Cutâneas/diagnósticoRESUMO
Mediterranean spotted fever due to infection by Rickettsia conorii, is characterized by a general vasculitis. This vasculitis is thought to be due to a direct injury to endothelial cells induced by R. conorii. However, production and activity of cytokines on endothelial cells is an important pathway in inflammation, and part of the underlying mechanism of vasculitis. In the present studies, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) infected with R. conorii actively secrete high levels of IL-8 and IL-6 (P < 0.002, and P < 0.03, respectively, compared with uninfected cells). IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, or TNFalpha were not detected in the culture supernates. Nevertheless, IL-6 and IL-8 production was due, in a large part, to a cell-associated form of IL-1 alpha expressed on R. conorii-infected HUVEC, since production of these cytokines was suppressed by 80% (P = 0.0001) and 85% (P < 0.04) by the addition of IL-1 receptor antagonist, or anti-IL-1alpha antibodies (60% inhibition, P < 0.01 and 65% inhibition, P < 0.05, respectively) and IL-1alpha was measured after lysis of R. conorii-infected HUVEC but not in uninfected cells (P < 0.01). Rickettsial lipopolysaccharide does not seem to be involved, since polymyxin B did not reduce cytokine secretion. On the contrary, infection by intracellular R. conorii appears to be necessary to induce IL-1alpha and subsequently IL-8, since formalin-fixed R. conorii did not induce cytokine production. These observations demonstrate that R. conorii-infected HUVEC secrete IL-6 and IL-8 via the induction of cell-associated IL-1alpha, providing a possible mechanism for the vasculitis observed in Mediterranean spotted fever.
Assuntos
Endotélio Vascular/imunologia , Interleucina-1/fisiologia , Interleucina-6/biossíntese , Interleucina-8/biossíntese , Rickettsia/imunologia , Anticorpos/farmacologia , Células Cultivadas , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Humanos , Interleucina-1/imunologia , Interleucina-1/farmacologia , Cinética , Fatores de Tempo , Veias UmbilicaisRESUMO
In serum from five patients with severe burns, alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1-PI) was analyzed and then isolated by immunosorption chromatography. By Con A-Sepharose chromatography alpha 1-PI was separated into two types of fractions: the first containing the Con A-non-reactive isoforms and the second containing the Con A-reactive isoforms. The increase of alpha 1-PI serum level in burn patients is associated on the fifth day after the burn with a significant shift toward species enriched in bi-antennary oligosaccharides (Con A-reactive isoforms). This latter change passed very quickly and ten days after the burn, whereas the alpha 1-PI serum level was still high, the difference in proportions of Con A-reactive and non-reactive isoforms was not statistically significant. With respect to the difference in oligosaccharide structure, it appeared that the glycan moiety was involved in the inhibitory effect on natural killer cell activity. At the same concentration, purified alpha 1-PI and retained alpha 1-PI isoforms had an equal effect, whereas the non-retained alpha 1-PI isoforms were more efficient (P less than or equal to 0.01). Purified alpha 1-PI and its isoforms inhibited the natural killer cell activity in a dose-dependent manner.
Assuntos
Proteínas Sanguíneas/metabolismo , Queimaduras/sangue , Concanavalina A/metabolismo , Células Matadoras Naturais/imunologia , Queimaduras/imunologia , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Glicosilação , Humanos , alfa 1-AntitripsinaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha may mediate the loss and the dedifferentiation of subcutaneous fat tissue in the insulin-induced lipoatrophies of a diabetic patient who presented extensive lesions. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: An in vitro exploration of cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from the reported case was performed and compared with the same explorations of PBMC from three nondiabetic subjects and three diabetic patients without lipoatrophic lesions. A proliferation test and an evaluation of TNF-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 production from PBMC in presence of insulin were studied. RESULTS: The production of TNF-alpha and IL-6 by the macrophages of the patient in presence of insulin were dramatically increased in comparison with control subjects. This process needed cooperation with other lymphoid cells and was abrogated by dexamethasone. CONCLUSIONS: In our reported case, a local hyperproduction of TNF-alpha from macrophages that was induced by the injected insulin could explain the dedifferentiation of the adipocytes of the subcutaneous tissue and the reversion that was induced by the local injection of dexamethasone.
Assuntos
Adipócitos/patologia , Tecido Adiposo/patologia , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/tratamento farmacológico , Insulina/efeitos adversos , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/fisiologia , Adipócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Adipócitos/fisiologia , Tecido Adiposo/efeitos dos fármacos , Tecido Adiposo/fisiopatologia , Adulto , Atrofia , Diferenciação Celular , Citocinas/biossíntese , Feminino , Humanos , Interleucina-6/biossíntese , Ativação Linfocitária , Linfócitos/imunologia , Valores de Referência , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/biossínteseRESUMO
Endothelial cells play a key role in prominent immunological and pathological processes such as leukocyte trafficking, inflammation, atheroma or cancer cell metastasis. Umbilical veins are probably the most widely used source for human endothelial cells, since they are more easily available than many other vessels, they are free from any pathological process and they are physiologically more relevant than many established cell lines. Here, we describe a standard protocol for preparation, maintenance and quality control of these cells.
Assuntos
Técnicas de Cultura de Células/métodos , Endotélio Vascular/citologia , Cordão Umbilical/citologia , Células Cultivadas , Humanos , Molécula 1 de Adesão Intercelular/biossíntese , Molécula 1 de Adesão de Célula Vascular/biossínteseRESUMO
In order to determine if soluble interleukin 2 receptor (IL2R) was useful as a marker in screening for early Type 1 diabetes and in monitoring immunological treatment, we assayed serum IL2R levels in 67 controls, 43 patients with newly diagnosed diabetes and 28 first degree relatives of diabetic patients (5 subjects were islet cell antibody positive). In 23 diabetes, specimens were analysed at 3 and 6 months after diagnosis whether or not cyclosporin A was administered. Seven patients were in a clinical trial using anti IL2R monoclonal antibody and cyclosporin A. Since IL2R level in the normal population is elevated in the first 5 years of life then decreases until adulthood (age:IL2R correlation between 0 and 15 years: r = -0.42, P less than 0.05), subjects were carefully matched in age. In recent onset diabetes, this negative correlation disappeared and IL2R levels tended to decrease particularly in younger subjects. In Type 1 prediabetic subjects presenting persistent islet-cell antibody serum IL2R was not elevated. During immunological treatment of recent onset diabetes, serum IL2R remained stable and was not modified by cyclosporin A. As expected IL2R became undetectable during treatment with anti IL2R MC Ab. But it rebounded when treatment was stopped with no effect on remission. We concluded that IL2R levels in Type 1 diabetic patients is not useful in screening autoimmune activity or in evaluating the effectiveness of immunosuppressors.
Assuntos
Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/metabolismo , Receptores de Interleucina-2/biossíntese , Adolescente , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Autoanticorpos/sangue , Biomarcadores/sangue , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Ciclosporina/farmacologia , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/diagnóstico , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/tratamento farmacológico , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/imunologia , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Feminino , Humanos , Ilhotas Pancreáticas/imunologia , Masculino , Receptores de Interleucina-2/efeitos dos fármacos , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
We report the outcome of 12 children who underwent unrelated cord blood transplant (U-CBT) in a single institution between February 1997 and July 1998. The 1 year event-free survival was 67% (95% CI of 26%). Four children died with infectious complication as cause of death in three cases. Immune reconstitution was studied during first year post transplant by assaying total lymphocyte counts, B cells, NK cells and T cell subsets in the eight disease-free surviving patients. We observed a prompt recovery of CD19+ cell number which was greater than 500/microl at 9 months for all patients except the one with severe cGVHD. B cells constituted the predominant lymphocyte subset at 6 and 9 months post transplant with normal or elevated B cell numbers according to normal paediatric range. We noted normal serum immunoglobulin levels at 6 months post transplant for IgA and IgM and at 9 months for IgG. The CD3+ cell count and particularly the CD3+CD8+ T cell subset remained depressed until 12 months post transplant. Six months after unrelated CBT, seven out of eight patients had less than 100 CD3+CD8+ cells/microl. CD3+CD4+ cell recovery was less impaired with all children achieving an absolute count of CD3+CD4+ cells greater than 200/microl during the first year in a median of 5 months. The percentage of NK cells was elevated during the first 6 months after CBT but their absolute count remained within the normal range. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 25, 53-57.
Assuntos
Sangue Fetal , Neoplasias Hematológicas/imunologia , Neoplasias Hematológicas/terapia , Transplante de Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas , Imunidade , Adolescente , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Transplante de Tecido Fetal , Teste de Histocompatibilidade , Humanos , Lactente , Transplante HomólogoRESUMO
The beneficial metabolic effects of dietary soybean lecithin on lipid metabolism are now more clearly established. The intestinal absorption of cholesterol is decreased by soybean phosphatidylcholine-enriched diet and results in a cholesterol-lowering effect. There is an enhancement of the cholesterol efflux by endothelial cells incubated with soybean phosphatidylcholines, and a stimulation of the reverse cholesterol transport by high density lipoprotein-phosphatidylcholines. As a result of all these processes, phosphatidylcholines provided by the soybean lecithin metabolism appear to be key molecules controlling the biodynamic exchanges of lipids. They regulate homeostasis of cholesterol and fatty acids by decreasing their synthesis and promoting cholesterol oxidation into bile salts. Finally, the outcome is the increase in bile secretion of these lipids and/or their metabolite forms. Such findings constitute promising goals in the field of nutritional effects of soybean lecithin in the treatment or prevention of hyperlipidemia and related atherosclerosis.
RESUMO
Leishmania is considered an opportunistic agent during cellular immunodeficiency. The authors report the case of a patient living in the south of France presenting visceral leishmaniasis with cutaneous manifestations in the course of a severe nervous depression. This case report illustrates the possible relationships between stress and immunity.
Assuntos
Transtorno Depressivo/complicações , Leishmaniose Cutânea/etiologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/etiologia , Adulto , Transtorno Depressivo/imunologia , Feminino , Humanos , Interferon gama/deficiência , Leishmaniose Cutânea/imunologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/imunologiaRESUMO
We report a case of large granular lymphocytosis, or chronic "natural killer" lymphocytosis, a newly described entity. We were able to demonstrate the proliferative character of the disease by the finding of karyotype abnormalities. This case was remarkable for the pre-existence, for at least three years, of severe hypogammaglobulinaemia, for the very slow course of the proliferative process and for the progressive and tumoral infiltration of the spleen and liver, then kidney.
Assuntos
Agamaglobulinemia/etiologia , Leucemia Linfoide/complicações , Humanos , Neoplasias Renais/secundário , Células Matadoras Naturais/patologia , Neoplasias Hepáticas/secundário , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neoplasias Esplênicas/secundário , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Capillary leak syndrome is a specific entity among syndromes with capillary hyperpermeability. Endothelial cell activation is related to the higt level of adhesion molecules (sICAM-1, sVCAM-&, sCD62E) possibly due to several cytokines (IL-2, TNF ...). CASE REPORT: An 84-year-old woman was hospitalized for erythroderma. Ofujui papuloerythroderma was diagnosed and edema was attributed to capillary leak. A kinetic study of several cytokines and adhesion molecules sCD62E, sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 was done. Outcome was favorable with corticopuvatherapy. DISCUSSION: The capillary leak syndrome reported here is simlar to that described in other erythrodermas with or without lymphoma. The keratinocyte would be activated by the CD4 T lymphocyte via the gamma-interferon mediator. The T cell secretes cytokines (interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor ...) which activates the endothelium and increases vascular permeability. The level of adhesion molecules and changes observed during the episode of edema demonstrated the endothelial activation.
Assuntos
Síndrome de Vazamento Capilar/etiologia , Dermatite Esfoliativa/complicações , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Síndrome de Vazamento Capilar/fisiopatologia , Moléculas de Adesão Celular/análise , Citocinas/análise , Dermatite Esfoliativa/diagnóstico , Endotélio/metabolismo , Feminino , Humanos , Imuno-HistoquímicaRESUMO
CONTEXT: Marseille, the second largest city in France, has a large population of homeless persons. A mental health outreach team was created in 2005 as a response to high rates of mental illness among this group. In a national political context where security is a government priority, a new central police station was created in Marseille in 2006 to address robberies, violence and illegal traffic in the downtown area of the city. While not directly related to such crimes, police also are responsible for public safety or behavioral issues related to the presence of individuals who are homeless in this area. OBJECTIVE: This report on a two-year pilot study (2009-2011) addresses collaborative work between a mental health outreach team and the police department responding to the clinical needs of persons who are homeless with serious psychiatric disorders. It also describes the homeless persons' interactions with, and perceptions of the presence of, police and mental health professionals on the streets. METHODS: Investigators adopted a mixed-methods approach. Data were collected on 40 interactions using brief standardized report for each interaction. Focus groups were conducted with police officers, outreach team members, peer workers, and service users. Minutes of partnership meetings between police officers and outreach workers also served as a source of qualitative data. RESULTS: Outreach workers initiated just over half (n=21) of the encounters (n=40) between police and outreach workers. Interactions mainly involved persons with psychosis (77%), the vast majority (80%) of which involved persons in an acute phase of psychosis. Two key themes that emerged from data analysis included the violent nature of life on the streets and the high percentage of ethnic minorities among subjects of the interactions. In addition, it was found that the practices of the outreach workers are sometimes similar to those of the police, especially when outreach workers use coercive methods. "Users" (homeless persons) described police as sometimes using less coercion than the outreach team, and noted that they were more fearful of psychiatrists than police. CONCLUSION: Formal initiatives between mental health outreach teams and police departments involve some common street practices. This study demonstrates the potential for closer working relationships between the two parties to help persons who are homeless with mental illnesses receive needed care, and to reduce inappropriate coercion including involuntary hospitalization and arrests.
Assuntos
Intervenção em Crise/métodos , Pessoas Mal Alojadas/psicologia , Pessoas Mentalmente Doentes , Equipe de Assistência ao Paciente/organização & administração , Adulto , Coerção , Feminino , Grupos Focais , França , Humanos , Masculino , Projetos Piloto , População UrbanaRESUMO
Lewis rats primed with myelin basic protein (MBP) in complete Freund's adjuvant develop experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) and suddenly recover 15 to 17 days later. It was previously found that nondraining lymph node (non-DLN) cells taken at the time of convalescence and transferred into syngeneic normal animals inhibit the subsequent induction of EAE. In this report, it is shown that a suppressive factor can be extracted from non-DLN cells which mimics the inhibitory effect of cells when injected into the recipients. Non-DLN cells keep their suppressive activity on the induction of EAE after a culture of 48 h but their supernatant of culture failed to exert any protective effect in vivo. However, in vitro both the culture supernatant and the suppressor cells were found to have an inhibitory effect on the proliferative response of immune lymphoid cells to the antigen (MBP).
Assuntos
Encefalomielite Autoimune Experimental/imunologia , Tolerância Imunológica , Ativação Linfocitária , Linfócitos T Reguladores/imunologia , Animais , Sistema Livre de Células , Células Cultivadas , Feminino , Ratos , Ratos Endogâmicos LewRESUMO
This report describes an immunological study made on a 58 years old patient with a Whipple disease diagnosed in 1969 and treated with different antibiotics. All attempts to stop the antibiotherapy resulted in reappearance of clinical symptoms. Further, this patient suffered anguillulosis infection in 1954 and this persists despite thiabendazole therapy, as shown by periodical creeping lunear dermatitis (larva currens). Laboratory investigations displayed low IgM levels and lack of cutaneous reactivity to conventional antigenic challenge. In vitro studies on granulocyte and monocyte phagocytic activity did not display any clearcut deficiency. Finally, this patient displayed peripheral lymphopenia and decrease of the T4+ (CD4) lymphocyte subpopulation. The proliferative response of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin stimulation (a cellular T-cell function) was drastically decreased in assays performed during the 16 month duration of patient's exploration. This proliferative defect seems to be due to increased PGE2 release (a 3-5 fold increase was demonstrated), resulting in inhibition of interleukin 2 (IL2) synthesis and activity. Further, patient's lymphocyte normally expressed IL2 receptor. When the B lymphocyte dependent humoral response was assayed, normal B lymphocyte differentiation into plasmocytes was found. However the pokeweed mitogen induced proliferative response of B lymphocyte displayed major decrease in four sequential tests. This might be due to a lack of B cell growth factor (BCGF) activity, since this interleukin involved in T lymphocyte, B lymphocyte cooperation was not found in supernatants of patient's cell. Further, interleukin 1 (involved in macrophage lymphocyte cooperation) was normally produced. In conclusion, no deficiency of in vitro phagocytose was demonstrated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Assuntos
Doença de Whipple/imunologia , Diferenciação Celular , Seguimentos , Humanos , Síndromes de Imunodeficiência/imunologia , Interleucinas/análise , Linfócitos/análise , Linfócitos/patologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fagocitose , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
The migration of neutrophils from blood vessels to peripheral tissues is a key step of inflammation. This requires the formation of transient gaps between endothelial cells with concomitant leucocyte squeezing through these narrow apertures and immediate restoration of endothelium continuity. It is currently considered that the main role of selectins is to mediate the initial contact between flowing leucocytes and endothelial cells. We show here that the binding of E- or P-selectins by specific antibodies induces a marked 'rounding up' of interleukin-1- or thrombin-activated human endothelial cells, respectively. Also, anti-E-selectin antibodies trigger a transient increase in cytosolic calcium involving intracellular calcium stores. No such effect is observed when von Willebrand factor or intercellular adhesion molecule 1 are similarly bound. Thus, in addition to promoting the initial interaction between activated endothelium and moving leucocytes, selectins might play a role in the induction of subsequent endothelial deformation, which would facilitate leucocyte arrest and transmigration towards peripheral tissues, and enhance the diffusion of soluble molecules between intravascular and peripheral compartments. Our results are consistent with this hypothesis and demonstrate a new property of endothelial selectins.
Assuntos
Moléculas de Adesão Celular/fisiologia , Endotélio Vascular/citologia , Glicoproteínas da Membrana de Plaquetas/fisiologia , Anticorpos Monoclonais/imunologia , Anticorpos Monoclonais/farmacologia , Cálcio/metabolismo , Adesão Celular , Moléculas de Adesão Celular/imunologia , Movimento Celular , Tamanho Celular , Células Cultivadas , Selectina E , Endotélio Vascular/efeitos dos fármacos , Endotélio Vascular/metabolismo , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Molécula 1 de Adesão Intercelular/farmacologia , Junções Intercelulares , Interleucina-1/farmacologia , Leucócitos/citologia , Leucócitos/metabolismo , Selectina-P , Glicoproteínas da Membrana de Plaquetas/antagonistas & inibidores , Glicoproteínas da Membrana de Plaquetas/imunologia , Transdução de Sinais , Trombina/farmacologia , Veias Umbilicais , Fator de von Willebrand/farmacologiaRESUMO
Lymphocyte adhesion to endothelium, extravasation, and adhesion to hepatocytes are mediated by adhesion molecules and constitute important steps in the liver inflammation due to chronic hepatitis C (HCV-CH). We measured soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM-1, sCD54), vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1, sCD106), E-selectin (sCD62E), as well as interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentrations in the serum of 22 patients with HCV-CH in comparison to 20 seronegative healthy volunteers. sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, sCD62E, TNF-alpha, and IL-8 but not IL-1 beta concentrations were significantly elevated in patients. sICAM-1 and sCD62E correlated with TNF-alpha and aspartate amino transferases levels. sICAM-1 correlated with liver lobular inflammation whereas sVCAM-1, sCD62E, and IL-8 correlated with liver fibrosis. Measurement of soluble adhesion molecules may be an easy way to follow liver inflammation and fibrosis during HCV-CH.