Study of cytokines in ulcerative colitis

We investigated the lymphocyte-activation antigens and the expression of cytokine genes in the mucosa of ulcerative colitis (UC). Fresh colonic mucosal biopsy specimens from patients with UC and controls were fixed for the immunohistochemical study of CD4, HLA-DR, and CD25, and other specimens were...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of gastroenterology 1995-11, Vol.30 Suppl 8, p.61-63
Main Authors: Funakoshi, K, Sugimura, K, Sasakawa, T, Bannai, H, Anezaki, K, Ishizuka, K, Yoshida, K, Narisawa, R, Asakura, H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biopsy
Case-Control Studies
Colitis, Ulcerative - immunology
Colitis, Ulcerative - metabolism
Colitis, Ulcerative - pathology
Colon - metabolism
Colon - pathology
Cytokines - biosynthesis
Cytokines - genetics
Cytokines - immunology
Gene Expression
Humans
Immunoblotting
Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism
Intestinal Mucosa - pathology
Nucleic Acid Probes
Polymerase Chain Reaction
RNA, Messenger - analysis
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Summary:We investigated the lymphocyte-activation antigens and the expression of cytokine genes in the mucosa of ulcerative colitis (UC). Fresh colonic mucosal biopsy specimens from patients with UC and controls were fixed for the immunohistochemical study of CD4, HLA-DR, and CD25, and other specimens were prepared for the RNA analysis of cytokines. Gene expression was evaluated by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and the radioactivity of dot-blotted amplified cDNA was standardized by co-amplified beta-actin cDNA. The inflamed mucosa of active UC showed increased CD4+DR+ and CD25+ cells in comparison with control subjects. Active UC showed significantly increased mRNA expression of IL-1 beta, IL-2R alpha, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF alpha compared with the controls. We found no significant difference in the mRNA expression for IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-gamma between active UC and controls. Increased CD4+DR+ and CD25+ cells in active UC mucosa indicate mucosal CD4(+) T cell activation in the lamina propria, but we did not clarify Th1 or Th2 specific T cell activation from our study of cytokine mRNA expression. The increased mRNA expression for IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF alpha in the mucosal lesions of UC indicates that these inflammatory cytokines may play important roles in the pathogenesis of UC.
ISSN:0944-1174
1435-5922