Mycobacterial aetiology of Crohn's disease: serologic study using common mycobacterial antigens and a species-specific glycolipid antigen from Mycobacterium paratuberculosis.
Crohn's disease is a granulomatous form of enteritis superficially similar to Johne's disease (paratuberculosis) of ruminants. Recently, a Mycobacterium sp closely related to Mycobacterium paratuberculosis was cultured from tissues of patients with Crohn's disease suggesting that M paratuberculosis may be the aetiologic agent in some cases. In addition, greater seroreactivity to M paratuberculosis has been reported in patients with Crohn's disease. In the present study, we have evaluated the serum antibody response to disrupted M paratuberculosis using ELISA and serum specimens from 33 people with Crohn's disease, 21 with ulcerative colitis, and 12 non-inflammatory bowel disease controls. We failed to find a consistent IgG, IgM, or IgA antibody response to Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. The results indicate that, as in bovine paratuberculosis, serum seroreactivity is not a reliable tool for examining the relationship between human intestinal disease and mycobacteria.
D000917:Antibody Formation; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000276:immunology; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D010283:Paratuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology; D013045:Species Specificity
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D006017:Glycolipids