Objectives: To analyze plasma levels of soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
Methods: Plasma samples were obtained from 110 NPC patients and 55 age and sex matched healthy individuals as controls. Using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, plasma levels of sCD40L, sP-selectin and sICAM-1 were measured in all the samples.
Results: The plasma levels of sCD40L, sP-selectin and sICAM-1 in NPC patients were higher than those in the controls, while the levels of these three proteins in NPC patients with neck node metastasis were significantly higher than those in the patients without metastasis. Moreover, plasma sCD40L and sP-selectin levels in the patients were significantly decreased after treatment, and sICAM-1 levels decreased only in stage III + IV patients.
Conclusions: The levels of sCD40L, sP-selectin and sICAM-1 increased in NPC patients, especially in those with neck node metastasis. Abnormal high plasma levels of these molecules may be related to metastasis, which might be used as therapeutic effect indicators in NPC patients.