Role of endothelial cell adhesion molecules in the development of allergy in human fascioliasis.

The recent understanding of the key role of adhesion molecules in the pathogenesis of chest allergy in parasitic infections may provide a pharmacological target for the associated asthmatic symptoms. Circulating levels of the endothelial cell adhesion molecules (CAMs): sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin in sera of 18 allergic asthmatic patients. 16 fascioliasis cases (acute & chronic), 24 fascioliasis cases with allergic chest manifestations and 10 apparently healthy control subjects were estimated by ELISA method. Also, IL-4 serum level was evaluated in all groups. Chest allergy in association with fascioliasis included mainly bronchial asthma, beside eosinophilic bronchitis, persistent wheezing and chronic cough. The study provided evidence that adhesion molecules expression is up regulated in acute and chronic fascioliasis cases with allergic chest manifestations. sVCAM-1 seemed to be an early indicator of asthma development in human fascioliasis. IL-4 cytokine was suggested to be responsible for the increased expression especially in the chronic phase of the disease, yet the role of other cytokines cannot be excluded.