ab1902

Longitudinal study of rheumatoid arthritis patients discloses sustained elevated serum levels of soluble CD106 (V-CAM)

M.N. Kolopp-Sarda¹, F. Guillemin², I. Chary-Valckenaere³, M.C. Béné¹, J. Pourel³, G.C. Faure1

¹Laboratoire d'Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine & CHU Nancy; ²Ecole de Santé Publique, UHP Nancy I; ³Service de Rhumatologie, CHU de Nancy, France.

ABSTRACT
Objective
To appreciate the evolution of serum angiogenic and/or adhesion molecules levels during a long term follow-up of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Methods
Serum levels of 5 soluble adhesion/angiogenesis glycoproteins (VEGF, CD31, CD54, CD62E, CD106) were measured in Elisa in samples collected over 6 years in a cohort of 43 RA patients with monitored clinical parameters of disease activity and severity.

Results
RA patients had significantly higher levels (p < 0.0001) of sCD106 (VCAM-1) than control subjects. Conversely, the levels of soluble VEGF, CD31, CD54 and CD62E were normal or lower than normal. No statistically significant time effect was noted. No effect either was noted as related to the therapeutic agents taken by the patients.

Conclusion
The sustained elevated serum levels of sCD106 observed here imply that this molecule might be related to the chronicity and progression of RA.

Key words
Rheumatoid arthritis, adhesion molecules, angiogenesis, CD106, CD31.

This work was supported by a CIRC grant from CRC-CHU Nancy 1996 and by a PHRC program from the French Ministére de la Santé 1995-97.
Please address correspondence and reprint requests to: Pr. Gilbert C. Faure, Laboratoire d'Immunologie du CHU, Faculté de Médecine - BP184, 54500 Vandoeuvre les Nancy, France.
E-mail: faure@grip.u-nancy.fr