Background: Measles is a highly infectious, acute viral illness characterized by high fever and generalized skin rash of which pathogenesis is uncertain. E-selectin, a ligand of the cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen (CLA)+ T lymphocytes is highly expressed on vascular endothelium in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, but in the past there has been a lack of statistical data on its impact on patients with measles. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the serum soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) levels are elevated in children with measles.
Methods: Twenty-five children with measles, 33 children with atopic dermatitis, 20 with atopic asthma and 20 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum sE-selectin and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha levels were measured using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: Serum levels of sE-selectin were found to be significantly higher in children with measles than in children with atopic dermatitis, atopic asthma and healthy controls. But it was not significantly correlated with the duration of rash or with the presence of a complication in children with measles. Serum TNF-alpha levels were higher in children with measles than in children with atopic dermatitis. There was no correlation between sE-selectin and TNF-alpha levels.
Conclusions: sE-selectin levels are elevated in children with measles, which may imply that CLA+ T lymphocytes are associated with the development of measles rash.