Background: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is involved in the up-regulation of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1). Allergic rhinitis is often associated with bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
Objective: We investigated the relationship between allergic airway disease severity and serum concentrations of soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) and TNF-alpha and nasal expression of ICAM-1.
Methods: Serum concentrations of TNF-alpha and sICAM-1 were investigated in 85 adults with persistent rhinitis and 90 patients with asthma. Seventy patients with rhinitis were challenged with methacholine. Nasal biopsy for ICAM-1 expression was performed in 6 patients with moderate-severe rhinitis and in 6 patients with mild rhinitis.
Results: In patients with rhinitis, serum sICAM-1 concentrations were as follows: group without bronchial hyperresponsiveness (n = 29), 206.85 ng/mL; group with bronchial hyperresponsiveness but without asthma symptoms (n = 20), 233.39 ng/mL; and group with newly recognized asthma (n = 21), 260.06 ng/mL. The sICAM-1 level was significantly lower in patients with mild rhinitis (216.21 ng/mL) than in patients with moderate-severe rhinitis (244.08 ng/mL). Nasal ICAM-1 expression was significantly higher in the moderate-severe rhinitis group than in the mild rhinitis group. In patients with asthma, serum concentrations of sICAM-1 were as follows: patients with mild asthma, 272.8 ng/mL; patients with moderate asthma, 340.16 ng/mL; patients with severe asthma without oral corticosteroids therapy, 426.74 ng/mL; and patients with severe asthma with oral corticosteroids therapy, 314 ng/mL. The serum TNF-alphaa concentration differed between patients with rhinitis (n = 15) (1.065 pg/mL) and patients with asthma (n = 12) (3.46 pg/mL). Among patients with asthma, TNF-alpha concentrations were similar in all groups classified according to the disease severity.
Conclusions: sICAM and ICAM-1 expression correlates with airways diseases severity.