Shaobing Xie1, Hua Zhang1, Fengjun Wang1, Yongzhen Liu1, Kelei Gao1, Junyi Zhang1, Ruohao Fan1, Shumin Xie1, Zhihai Xie2, Weihong Jiang3. 1. Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University & Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology Critical Diseases, Changsha, Hunan, China. 2. Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University & Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology Critical Diseases, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: xiedoctor@csu.edu.cn. 3. Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University & Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology Critical Diseases, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: jiangwh68@126.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) plays an important role in T cell activation and immune response, but the role of ALCAM in allergic rhinitis (AR) remains unclear. The objective of the current study was to validate serum ALCAM as a biomarker in assessing disease severity and predicting the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in AR patients. METHODS: We recruited 40 healthy controls (HC group), 38 mild AR patients (MAR group) and 80 moderate-severe AR patients (MSAR group) in this study. Serum levels of ALCAM were determined by ELISA, and the association between ALCAM levels and disease severity was evaluated. In the MSAR group, 68 patients underwent and finished 3-years of SLIT, and were divided into effective group and ineffective group, the relationship between ALCAM levels and efficacy of SLIT was exampled. RESULTS: ALCAM levels were elevated in the serum of AR patients in comparison with HC. Moreover, serum ALCAM concentrations were higher in MSAR group than in MAR group and HC group, and levels of ALCAM significantly correlated with AR total nasal symptom score (TNSS) (r = 0.330, P < 0.001), visual analogue scale (VAS) (r = 0.387, P < 0.001) and serum total IgE levels (r = 0.442, P < 0.001). In the effective group, the ALCAM levels were significantly lower than in the ineffective group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve exhibited good accuracy for predicting clinical efficacy of SLIT (area under the curve = 0.805, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The serum ALCAM maybe a novel biomarker for assessing disease severity and predicting clinical efficacy of SLIT in AR patients.
BACKGROUND: Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) plays an important role in T cell activation and immune response, but the role of ALCAM in allergic rhinitis (AR) remains unclear. The objective of the current study was to validate serum ALCAM as a biomarker in assessing disease severity and predicting the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in AR patients. METHODS: We recruited 40 healthy controls (HC group), 38 mild AR patients (MAR group) and 80 moderate-severe AR patients (MSAR group) in this study. Serum levels of ALCAM were determined by ELISA, and the association between ALCAM levels and disease severity was evaluated. In the MSAR group, 68 patients underwent and finished 3-years of SLIT, and were divided into effective group and ineffective group, the relationship between ALCAM levels and efficacy of SLIT was exampled. RESULTS:ALCAM levels were elevated in the serum of AR patients in comparison with HC. Moreover, serum ALCAM concentrations were higher in MSAR group than in MAR group and HC group, and levels of ALCAM significantly correlated with AR total nasal symptom score (TNSS) (r = 0.330, P < 0.001), visual analogue scale (VAS) (r = 0.387, P < 0.001) and serum total IgE levels (r = 0.442, P < 0.001). In the effective group, the ALCAM levels were significantly lower than in the ineffective group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve exhibited good accuracy for predicting clinical efficacy of SLIT (area under the curve = 0.805, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The serum ALCAM maybe a novel biomarker for assessing disease severity and predicting clinical efficacy of SLIT in AR patients.