Immunological disturbances have been implicated in the pathogenesis of
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Adhesion molecules are markers of
activated endothelial cells up-regulated by action of cytokines. To
investigate the activation or inactivation of the vascular cells in ALS,
serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (s-ICAM-1) and soluble
E-selectin (s-ELAM-1) were evaluated ( ELISA) in 16 patients with ALS,
30 patients with non-inflammatory neurological diseases (NINDS) and 15
healthy control subjects. Patients with ALS had no higher s-ICAM-1
levels compared with the NINDS patients and the control subjects (p<0.31
and p<0.21, respectively). s-ELAM levels were not statistically
significant compared with the NINDS patients and healthy subjects (
p<0.21 and p<0.24, respectively). We conclude that the low values of
s-ICAM-1 and s-ELAM-1 in the serum of ALS patients do not exclude the
presence of immunological abnormality in this disorder. Soluble
E-selectin is a glycoprotein which is considered an exclusive marker of
endothelial activation. Its low level in our study may suggest a neural
rather than an endothelial s-ICAM origin in patients with ALS
