Upregulation of ICAM-1 expression in the conjunctiva of patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease

PURPOSE. To correlate conjunctival intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) expression with cyto-logic and clinical findings of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). METHODS. Seven patients with chronic GVHD-related keratoconjunctivitis and five age-matched normal controls were recruited for the study. Clinical examination included medical history visual acuity evaluation of ocular signs and symptoms (scored from 0 to 3), corneal fluorescein staining (scored from 0 to 5 on the basis of the number of corneal sectors involved), Schirmer test type I, and break-up time (BUT). Impression cytology samples were collected from the nasal and inferior bulbar conjunctiva of patients and controls. Goblet cells were counted in three randomly selected fields and averaged. Immunofluorescent staining for ICAM-1 was carried out and the percentage of cells expressing the marker was evaluated. RESULTS. All patients showed signs and symptoms of keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Schirmer test type I and BUT were reduced (4.8 +/- 6.7 mm/5 min and 3.9 +/- 2.7 seconds, respectively). Goblet cells were significantly reduced in GVHD eyes with respect to normal eyes (65 +/- 30.5 and 192 +/- 16.9 cells/field respectively; p < 0.001). Goblet cell number was directly related to Schirmer test values (p < 0.01, rho=0.817) and inversely related to total sign score (p < 0.01, rho=-0.939). ICAM-1 expression was increased in GVHD eyes with respect to normal controls, in which no staining was observed. ICAM-1 expression showed an inverse relation to goblet cell number (p < 0.01, rho=-0.852) and Schirmer test values (p < 0.01, rho=-0.926), and was directly correlated to total sign score (p < 0.01, rho=0.982). CONCLUSIONS. Conjunctival ICAM-1 expression is increased in GVHD patients. The severity of the disease is associated with tear parameters, goblet cell decrease, and inflammatory markers, such as ICAM-1.