OBJECTIVETo explore the role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) in bronchiolitis and their correlation in the pathogenesis of this disorder.

METHODSThe expression of ICAM-1 was detected by flow cytometry on lymphocytes of peripheral blood in 28 infants with bronchiolitis, 23 infants with bronchopneumonia and 24 healthy infants. Serum level of RANTES was assayed using ELISA. The correlation between ICAM-1 and RANTES levels was evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficient.

RESULTSThe ICAM-1 level in the bronchiolitis group (35.0+/-10.3%) was much higher than that in the bronchopneumonia (29.9+/-8.6%; p<0.05) and the control groups (24.6+/-6.9%; p<0.01). The bronchopneumonia group had higher ICAM-1 level than the control group (p<0.05). The RANTES level in the bronchiolitis (32.1+/-6.0 ng/mL) and the bronchopneumonia groups (30.6+/-6.2 ng/mL) was significantly higher than that in the control group (27.1+/-5.1 ng/mL) (p<0.01, p<0.05, respectively), however, no significant difference was found between the bronchopneumonia and bronchiolitis groups. There was a positive correlation between ICAM-1 and RANTES levels in the bronchiolitis group (r=0.675, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSICAM-1 and RANTES are involved in the pathogenesis of bronchiolitis and show a synergistic effect.