Soluble And Membrane Bound E-Selectin In Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, highly pruritic inflammatory skin disease that develops as a result of a complex interrelationship of environmental, immunologic, genetic and pharmacologic factors. Efforts to understand the relative contributions of these factors have led to research seeking to identify the relevant effector cells and mediators involved in the pathogenesis of AD. These factors include the pattern of local cytokine release, the differentiation of helper T-cells, multiple roles of IgE, skin directed cell responses, • infectious agents and superantigens. E-selectin is probably the most specific inducible endothelial cell- surface molecule which is involved in the adhesion of neutrophils, monocytes and T- cell subsets to inflammatory sites. Unlike other endothelial adhesion molecules E- selectin expression in vitro and in vivo appears to be restricted to endothelial cells. So it is considered as a unique marker of endothelial activation and has the potential, if released from activated endothelial cells, of reflecting the degree of endothelial activation in vivo. The present study aimed at determining the serum levels of sE-selectin in AD patients to evaluate the role of soluble E-selectin as a marker of disease severity and activity in Ab.