OBJECTIVETo study the role of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1(TREM-1) in the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease (KD).

METHODSBased on color Doppler examination results, 45 children with KD were classified into two groups: coronary artery lesions (CAL group) and no coronary artery lesions (NCAL group). Fifteen children with fever caused by respiratory infection (fever control group) and fifteen healthy children (normal control group) served as controls. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of TREM-1 mRNA and DNAX-activating protein 12 (DAP12) mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). ELISA was used to detect the expression of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1), DAP12, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1), interleukin-8 (IL-8) proteins levels.

RESULTSThe mean serum protein concentrations of sTREM-1 and DAP12 and the expression levels of TREM-1 mRNA and DAP12 mRNA in PBMC in 45 children with KD (KD group) were significantly higher than in the two control groups (P<0.05). The levels of sTREM-1 protein and TREM-1 mRNA in the CAL subgroup were significantly higher than in the NCAL subgroup (P<0.05). The serum protein concentrations of MCP-1 and IL-8 in the KD group were significantly higher than in the two control groups (P<0.05). The MCP-1 protein level in the CAL subgroup was significantly higher than in the NCAL subgroup (P<0.05). In children with KD, there was a positive correlation between serum sTREM-1 and MCP-1 levels (r=0.523, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTREM-1 activation may be involved in the development of KD.