Serum levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 andgelatinase A and B as possible predictive markers of rheumatoid arthritis

Overview

Objective.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a potentially severe and disability-related disease and thereforegreat effort is exerted to find reliable predictive markers of the disease. Recently the interaction ofadhesion molecules ICAM-1 or VCAM-1 on the surface of mesenchymal cells with T-cell integrins wasshown to activate expression of gelatinases. The extracellular matrix of affected joints is degradedby gelatinases. Methods. Serum levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, gelatinase A and B were measured in 60patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and correlated with CRP values, DAS scores, and withradiographic impairment assessed by Larsen score. The levels of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, both of thegelatinases and CRP were evaluated every six months and DAS score value and Larsen score everytwelve months over a period of two years of follow up. Results. The sICAM-1 levels correlated withsVCAM-1 (0.3147

Key words:
rheumatoid arthritis, adhesion molecules, gelatinases