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. 2023 Mar;110(3):271-279.
doi: 10.1111/ejh.13902. Epub 2022 Nov 30.

Plasma levels of E-selectin are associated with retinopathy in sickle cell disease

Imane Agouti  1 , Elodie Masson  2 , Anderson Loundou  3 , Estelle Jean  1   2 , Laurent Arnaud  4 , Evelyne Abdili  4 , Patricia Berenger  4 , Virginie Lavoipierre  2 , Julie Séguier  1   2 , Françoise Dignat-George  4   5 , Romaric Lacroix  4   5 , Emmanuelle Bernit  1   6
Affiliations

Plasma levels of E-selectin are associated with retinopathy in sickle cell disease

Imane Agouti et al. Eur J Haematol. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Background: The vascular endothelium is markedly disrupted in sickle cell disease (SCD) and is the converging cascade of the complex pathophysiologic processes linked to sickle cell vasculopathy. Circulating endothelial activation and/or apoptotic markers may reflect this endothelial activation/damage that contributes to the pathophysiology of the SCD vascular complications.

Methods: Plasmatic levels of circulating endothelial cells (CECs), E-selectin, progenitor's endothelial cells (EPCs), and circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) were evaluated in 50 SCD patients, 16 with vasculopathy. The association between these markers and the occurrence of disease-related microvascular injuries of the eye (retinopathy), kidney (nephropathy), and skin (chronic active ulcers) was explored.

Results: Among the endothelial activation markers studied, only higher plasma levels of E-selectin were found in SCD patients with vasculopathy (p = .015). Increased E-selectin levels were associated with retinopathy (p < .001) but not with nephropathy or leg ulcers. All patients, at steady state, with or without vasculopathy, did not display a high count of CEC and EPC, markers of endothelial injury and repair. We did not show any significant differences in EVs levels between vasculopathy and not vasculopathy SCD patients.

Conclusions: Further studies will be required to determine whether the E-selectin could be used as an early biomarker of retinopathy sickle cell development.

Keywords: E-selectin; endothelium markers; sickle cell disease; sickle cell vasculopathy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
E‐selectin levels in sickle cell disease patients with and without retinopathy. Data shown are the average of the two samples mean of each patient.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
E‐selectin levels in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients with and without retinopathy according to patient's age. Data shown are the average of the two samples mean of each patient.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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