Abstract:
Abstract: Background: Soluble adhesion molecules are involved in the gathering and joining of
inflammatory cells to vascular endothelium. Therefore, they serve as potential markers of endothelial
dysfunction in vascular diseases including sickle cell disease (SCD). In Ghana, there are scarcely any
report on the levels of adhesion molecules among SCD patients. The current study aimed to determine
plasma levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-Selectin as markers of endothelial dysfunction in SCD
patients in steady state, complications and controls. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study
involving 60 HbAA controls, 46 HbSS steady state, 57 HbSS VOC, 18 HbSC VOC, 21 HbSS with leg
ulcer and 11 HbSS with priapism. Blood samples were collected from all the study subjects (n = 213)
and processed into plasma. The plasma levels of VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and E-Selectin concentrations of
SCD patients and controls were measured using a double sandwich ELISA technique. Demographic
information was also collected from the study subjects. Results: Levels of all soluble proteins
(ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-Selectin) were significantly higher in HbSS steady-state patients compared
to non-SCD controls (p < 0.001). Generally, SCD patients with complications had relatively higher
levels of the soluble proteins compared to those in the steady-state. Of the SCD patients with
complications, those with vaso-occlusion crisis (HbSS VOC) had relatively higher levels of ICAM-1,
VCAM-1 and E-Selectin at (62.42 ng/mL 26.09), (634.99 ng/mL 324.31) and (236.77 ng/mL
114.40) respectively; Conclusion: Although levels of adhesion molecules were high in all the SCD
patients with complications, those with vaso-occlusive crisis had higher levels. This might reflect an
ongoing endothelial dysfunction in these patients. SCD patients with vaso-occlusive crisis presents
with a more severe pathophysiology condition.
