Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 serum profile in physiologic and preeclamptic pregnancy

• Published in: American journal of reproductive immunology (1989) Vol. 39; no. 3; p. 183
• Main Authors: Airoldi, L, Gaffuri, B, Rossi, G, Iurlaro, E, Nozza, A, Viganò, P, Vignali, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark 01.03.1998
• Subjects: Adult; Female; Fibronectins - blood; Humans; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - blood; Pre-Eclampsia - blood; Pregnancy - blood; Reference Values; Solubility
• ISSN: 1046-7408; 1600-0897
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1998.tb00352.x

The aim of this study was to determine serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM)-1, an adhesion receptor that mediates interactions with the immune system, in physiologic and preeclamptic pregnancies. Moreover, we evaluated whether the release of sICAM-1 during pregnancy correlated to plasma fibronectin concentrations. Serum was collected from 18 nonpregnant, control women, from 58 normal pregnant women during the first (n = 13), second (n = 15), and third (n = 30) trimesters, and from 25 preeclamptic patients at 27-39 weeks' gestation. All samples were assayed for sICAM-1 by a specific enzyme-linked immunoassay and for fibronectin by a nephelometric system. Serum sICAM-1 levels in preeclamptic patients were compared to those obtained from gestational-matched normal pregnant women. Levels of sICAM-1 were significantly elevated (P < 0.001) in each of the three trimesters of normal pregnancy (I trimester: 390.4 +/- 25.7 ng/ml; II trimester: 386.3 +/- 15.4 ng/ml; and III trimester: 367.3 +/- 15.8 ng/ml) when compared to those of healthy nonpregnant women (263.3 +/- 11.6 ng/ml). No significant difference in sICAM-1 concentrations was observed among the three trimesters. Preeclampsia was associated to a significant decrease (P < 0.01) of sICAM-1 levels (309.8 +/- 11.6 ng/ml) relative to those observed in gestational-matched pregnant women (367.3 +/- 15.8 ng/ml). Fibronectin and sICAM-1 levels did not correlate. The increased levels of sICAM-1 found in physiologic pregnancies and its reduction in preeclampsia may account for some of the immunologic alterations demonstrated to be associated with pregnancy.