The effects of arterial blood pressure reduction on endocan and soluble endothelial cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) and CAMs ligands expression in hypertensive patients on Ca-channel blocker therapy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS To determine the effect of arterial blood pressure (BP) reduction on endocan and soluble cell adhesion molecules' (sCAM) plasma concentration and expression of their ligands on circulatory leukocyte subpopulations. METHODS 24 hypertensive subjects of both sexes (age: 53±8 yrs) were treated with Ca-channel blocker, amlodipin (5-10 mg/day for 8 weeks; to reach BP≤139/89mmHg). The serum sCAMs and endocan concentrations were determined by ELISA kits. Level of ICAM/VCAM ligands on leukocytes was assessed by flow cytometry. Paired t-test, or t-test were used as appropriate, with Pearson's correlation calculated; p<0.05 was considered significant (SigmaPlot v.11). RESULTS sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were decreased (p≤0.001 and p=0.002, respectively), while E-selectin concentration was increased after amlodipin treatment (P=0.014). CD11a/LFA-1 (ICAM-1 and endocan ligand) was significantly increased in all three cell types with BP decrease. CD15 and CD49d/VLA-4 (VCAM-1 ligand) did not change after the treatment. There was significant positive correlation of systolic and diastolic BP with ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, and significant negative correlation of systolic BP with CD11a/LFA-1. Endocan significantly positively correlated with ICAM-1. CONCLUSIONS The increased expression of ICAM/VACM ligands, together with decrease of sCAMs and endocan suggests the de-activation of endothelium with reduction in BP, decreasing the adherence of circulatory leukocytes to endothelium; subsequently decreasing the risk for development of atherosclerosis.