Increased presence of eosinophilic granulocytes expressing transforming growth factor-beta1 in collagenous colitis.
Scand J Gastroenterol
; 35(7): 742-6, 2000 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-10972179
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Collagenous colitis is a disease characterized by chronic watery diarrhea, and on microscopic examination of colonic tissue, a typical thickening of the subepithelial collagen layer is seen. The etiology and pathophysiology behind this disease state are largely unknown.METHODS:
We have used in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry to study the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF) -beta1, a growth factor with the capacity to cause accumulation of collagen in tissues, in collagenous colitis. Colonic pinch biopsy specimens from a total of 34 patients were investigated 17 patients with collagenous colitis and 17 controls.RESULTS:
In patients with collagenous colitis there was increased expression of the TGF-beta1 gene compared with controls, as visualized by in situ hybridization. The vast majority of the TGF-beta1-expressing cells were eosinophils, both in collagenous colitis and controls, but there were also scattered fibroblastic and histiocytic stromal cells. Immunohistochemistry showed the presence of TGF-beta1, mainly in eosinophils, in the colonic mucosa. Morphometric quantification showed 603 +/- 192 eosinophils/mm2, (mean +/- standard error of the mean) in the colonic mucosa of patients with collagenous colitis compared with 30 +/- 7 eosinophils/mm2 in the controls.CONCLUSIONS:
The present results suggest that eosinophils expressing TGF-beta1 may be of pathophysiologic importance in the connective tissue remodeling seen in collagenous colitis.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Transforming Growth Factor beta
/
Colitis
/
Eosinophils
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Scand J Gastroenterol
Year:
2000
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Sweden