Decreasing soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 serum level, has a predictive value for the response to interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus

ABSTRACT

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [ICAM-1] plays a fundamental role during liver inflammation. In fact, weak ICAM-1 expression is physiologically restricted to the endothelium of portal vessels and to sinusoidal lining cells, but it becomes markedly evident on sinusoidal lining cells and at the surface of hepatocytes during inflammatory liver diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of soluble ICAM-1 [sICAM-1] in chronic hepatitis C [CHC] patients and its changes during interferon [IFN] therapy. Sixty subjects were divided into 2 groups group A included 40 patients with CHC [subdivided according to their response to treatment into responders and non-responders] and group B included 20 healthy subjects representing the control group. Levels of sICAM-1 were measured in 40 patients with CHC treated with IFN and ribavarin, at baseline and after 3 months of therapy, and in 20 normal control subjects. All the patients were negative for HBV surface antigen. All the controls were negative for HBV surface antigen, and HCV antibody. The levels of sICAM-1 were significantly higher in the patient than in the control subject group [3.40 +/- 1.44 micro g/Lvs. 1.91 +/- 0.34/ micro g/L; p<.001]. Baseline sICAM-1 levels were similar in responders and non-responders [3.58 +/- 1.8 micro g/L vs. 3.24 +/- 1.04 micro g/L; P. NS]. By contrast, the concentration of sICAM-1 decreased significantly only in responders after 3 months of therapy [3.58 +/- 1.87 micro g/L vs.2.50 +/- 0.59 micro g/L; P<.001] and not in non-responders [3.24 +/- 1.04 micro g/L vs. 3.12 +/- 1.02 Pg/L; P. NS]. The probability of response to treatment, analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analysis, was much higher in the group showing a decrease of sICAM-1 than in the patients who did not show such a decrease. In conclusion, a longitudinal evaluation of serum levels of sICAM-1 in the first period of treatment is particularly useful in the identification of patients with high significant probability of response to treatment