Soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in Human Schistosomiasis.

Ayoub AA, Hegazi F, El-Gendy A and El-Sheikh N.

Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al Azhar University, Egypt.

Soluble forms of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) are membrane-cleaved variant of cellular ICAM-1 that maintained its LFA-1 ligand ability. Their release from cells is affected by some of the same cytokines that caused cell surface expression. Elevated levels of sICAM-1 are noted in several disease states. However, its role in schistosomiasis has not been fully elucidated. The present study was undertaken to analyze the role of sICAM-1 in human Schistosome mansoni infection in relation to resistance to reinfection in children living in an endemic area. Sera from a total of 22 formerly infected patients who were followed-up for evidence of reinfection and 10 normal subjects were investigated. A statistically significant difference was observed when levels (mean ± SD) of sICAM-1 in patients (235.1±81.1 ng/ml) were compared to those of the controls (134.0±94.2 ng/ml) (p < 0.05). In addition, sICAM-1 level was higher among the reinfected (susceptible) (267.3±57.9 ng/ml) than resistant (206.9±90.9 ng/ml) groups of patients (p < 0.05). It is concluded that sICAM-1 is important in monitoring resistance/susceptibility to reinfection.