The adhesion molecules of L-selectin and ICAM-1 in thrombocytosis and thrombocytopenia.

Thrombopoiesis is regulated by a variety of cytokines. Intracellular adhesion molecules are inducible cell-surface glycoproteins that belong to the immunoglobulin superfamily. Cytokines, endothelium and adhesive molecules represent the point of crosstalk in normal and pathological hematopoiesis. With the hypothesis that circulating intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and lymhocyte adhesion molecule-1 (L-selectin) concentrations could be changed based on pathological thrombopoiesis resulting in quantitative platelet disorders, we evaluated ICAM-1 and L-selectin levels in patients with thrombocytosis, thrombocytopenia and healthy controls. The L-selectin levels were found to be significantly higher in the thrombocytopenia group compared to the control group. ICAM-1 levels were found to be significantly higher in both thrombocytopenia and thrombocytosis groups compared to control group. Our study corroborates our original hypothesis implying the roles of adhesion molecules in the challenging status of pathological thrombopoiesis.