Vol 61, No 1 (2002)
Review article
Published online: 2001-11-19
Adhesion molecules of immunoglobulin gene superfamily in stroke
Folia Morphol 2002;61(1):1-6.
Abstract
Stroke-induced inflammatory reaction leads to the accumulation of leukocytes
in the brain ischaemic region, where they exert a detrimental effect - promotion
and extension of cerebral damage. Intracerebral infiltration of peripheral blood
leukocytes requires prior endothelial-leukocyte interactions that are mediated
by such cell surface proteins as adhesion molecules. Among adhesion molecules,
it is the immunoglobulin gene superfamily (IgSF) that is responsible for strong
attachment and transendothelial migration of leukocytes. The principal members
of IgSF are: intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion
molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1).
In this review the following issues were described and discussed: an increased
expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in ischaemic brain as well as a detection of their
soluble(s) forms in sera of stroke victims. The presented data suggest the involvement
of both ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in the sequence and timing of the infiltration of leukocytes
into the brain ischaemic zone after stroke. They have also revealed changes in
serum concentrations of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 that are characteristic for stroke.
Recently, increase in sPECAM-1 levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has
been shown within 24 h of the onset of stroke, having indirectly suggested involvement
of the molecule in the inflammatory events during the early phase of stroke.
Keywords: strokeinflammationbrainserumCSFICAM-1VCAM-1PECAM-1