Alterations in Circulating Adhesion Molecules in Acute Myocardial Infarction before and after Thrombolysis with Streptokinase

INTRODUCTION: The role of adhesion molecules in the development and progression of coronary atherosclerosis is inevitable. It is not clear yet whether these molecules increase or decrease in level after thrombolytic therapy. This study was designed to compare concentrations of soluble forms of adhesion molecules in patients with acute myocardial infarction before and after reperfusion by thrombolysis with streptokinase (SK). METHODS: In this study, in 40 patients with acute myocardial infarction who were admitted in our Emergency Department undergoing thrombolysis with SK, plasma concentrations of six adhesion molecules [soluble L-selectin, P-selectin, E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1)] were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), before and 3 hours after intervention. RESULTS: While soluble E-selectin and PECAM-1 concentrations did not differ within the 3 hours after interventions (P> 0.05), the level of P-selectin, L-selectin, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 were significantly reduced after thrombolysis with SK (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: Adhesion molecules which mediate the interactions in leukocyte endothelium vary in levels after reperfusion with SK. It was shown that 4 out of 6 adhesion molecules significantly reduced after thrombolysis with SK.