[Researches on the change of intestinal barrier function in patients with ulcerative colitis].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the variation of intestinal barrier and its clinical significance in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: Specimens were obtained from 200 patients of UC and 40 controls respectively from March 2010 to June 2013. UC samples were classified into three groups as mild (n = 68), moderate (n = 70) and severe (n = 62) according to Mayo classification. Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the expression of occludin, ß-defensin and sIgA, which respectively reflect the changes of mechanical barrier, chemical barrier and immune barrier in intestinal tissue. The result and the clinical data were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with controls, the expression of occludin and sIgA significantly decreased (28.53% ± 2.21% vs 44.28% ± 1.94%, 19.26% ± 1.09% vs 28.36% ± 2.36%, both P < 0.05), ß-defensin significantly increased (29.13% ± 1.75% vs 19.71% ± 1.83%, P < 0.05) in UC group. There was a significant difference of occludin levels among different active subgroups (P < 0.05), and the levels decreased significantly with the increase of UC classification (r = -0.753, P < 0.05). ß-defensin levels were significant differently among different active subgroups (P < 0.05), and the levels increased significantly with the increase of UC classification (r = 0.698, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the sIgA levels among the three stages (P > 0.05). In different gender, age and lesion site, there was no statistically significant difference in expression of three kinds of protein (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: UC patients exist intestinal barrier function injury, with the increase of UC classification, the damages of intestinal mechanical barrier and chemical barrier were more obvious.