Adhesion Molecules in Tissue Injury: Kinetics of Expression and Shedding and Association with Cytokine Release in Humans

Adhesion molecules are responsible for leukocyte recruitment in injured tissues. Here, the kinetics of expression and shedding of endothelial (sE-selectin-1, sP-selectin, and sICAM-1) and neutrophil (CD11b, CD62L, and CD54) adhesion molecules was investigated by serial determinations of serum concentrations in 20 patients with elective hip arthroplasty as an exemplary condition of acute inflammation in humans. Changes were related to secretion of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α) as their possible inducing signals. sE-selectin-1 responded to injury with a significant increase in concentrations already after 20 min, followed by sP-selectin and sICAM-1, which increased at Hour 10 and Day 1. Expression of CD11b and CD62L acutely responded to injury (within 1 h) by a parallel increase and decrease, respectively, and normalized by Day 1. Increases in concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α preceded the increase in adhesion molecules and significantly correlated with the response of sE-selectin-1 and sICAM-1. In conclusion, the close associations between release of IL-1β and TNF-α and sE-selectin and sICAM-1 shown in this kinetic study indicates a key role of these cytokines in upregulation of endothelial rather than neutrophil adhesion molecules in vivo.