Cytokine production from colonic T cells in patients with ulcerative colitis with and without primary sclerosing cholangitis

U. Broomé, R. Hultcrantz, A. K. Lefvert, Q. Yi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

PURPOSE. Only five percent of all patients with ulcerative colitis develop primary sclerosing cholangitis. T cells accumulate at the sites of the colonic and bile duct inflammation in both ulcerative colitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis T helper cell populations comprise functionally distinct subsets characterized by the cytokines they produce. Several alterations in cytokine production have been described in patients with ulcerative colitis. The aim of this study was to investigate possible differences in T helper subsets and cytokine production in peripheral blood and colonic mucosa among ulcerative colitis patients with and without primary sclerosing cholangitis METHODS: Eleven patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis and extensive ulcerative colitis, 11 patients with extensive ulcerative colitis and no liver disease, and 5 patients without any history of liver disease who underwent routine colonoscopy because of previous polypectomy were included in the study. Colonoscopy with multiple biopsies was performed on all patients. Lamina propria mononuclear cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated. A modified version of solid-phase enzyme-linked immunospot assay was used for the separate counting of cells producing interferon-γ interleukin-2 (T helper 1), and interleukin- 4 (T helper 2) RESULTS: No differences in spontaneous production of cytokines from peripheral blood mononuclear cells was found among the three groups. Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis compared with patients with ulcerative colitis without liver disease showed a significant increase in the number of cells secreting interferon-γ after purified protein derivative stimulation (P < 0.02). More cells secreting interferon-γ were found in the two ulcerative colitis groups than in the cell populations from healthy controls (P < 0.03) The number of cells secreting interferon-γ in the primary sclerosing cholangitis group was significantly lower than in the ulcerative colitis group without liver disease (P < 0.04). The number of cells secreting interleukin-4 was lower in the primary sclerosing cholangitis group than among the patients with ulcerative colitis only (P = 0.05). CONCLUSION. Isolated lymphocytes from colonic mucosa differ in cytokine production in patients with ulcerative colitis with and without primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1543-1549
Number of pages7
JournalDiseases of the Colon and Rectum
Volume41
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1998

Keywords

  • Cytokines
  • T cells
  • Th0, Th1
  • Th2

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Gastroenterology

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