Aim: To study the expression levels of E- selectin, integrin beta1 and immunoglobulin superfamily member-intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in human gastric carcinoma cells, and to explore the relationship between these three kinds of cell adhesion molecules and gastric carcinoma.
Methods: The serum contents of E-selectin, integrin beta1 and ICAM-1 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), in 47 healthy individuals (control group) and in 57 patients with gastric carcinoma (gastric carcinoma group) respectively prior to operation and 7 d after operation.
Results: The serum E-selectin, ECAM-1 and integrin beta1 were found to be expressed in both control and gastric carcinoma groups. However, they were highly expressed in patients with gastric carcinoma patients before operation or with unresectable tumours. The expression levels of ICAM-1 and integrin beta1 were significantly higher in gastric carcinoma patients than in controls (P < 0.01). A comparison of the E-selectin levels between the two groups showed statistically insignificant difference (P = 0.64). In addition, the expression levels were all decreased substantially in the postoperative patients subjected to radical resection of the tumours, indicating that the high level expressions of these compounds might be the important factor for predicting the prognosis of these patients.
Conclusion: Serum E-selectin, ICAM-1 and integrin beta1 expression levels are probably related to the metastasis and relapse of gastric cancer.