Altered expression of cell adhesion molecules in uninvolved gut in inflammatory bowel disease.
Adhesion of circulating cells to vascular endothelium occurs in the early phase of inflammation, and is mediated by specific cell adhesion molecules. Many such adhesion molecules are increased in inflamed regions of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) but there is limited knowledge of their expression in the uninvolved gut, adjacent to inflammation. We investigated immunohistochemically the expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) on resected specimens taken at a distance of 2-4 cm from the inflamed area and without histological signs of inflammation. Compared with normal gut, we found (i) a significant increase of PECAM-1-positive vessels in the mucosa of uninvolved UC (149.0 +/- 24.1 vessels/mm2 (mean +/- s.d.); normal colon = 123.1 +/- 21.6; P = 0.004); (ii) a significant decrease of ICAM-1-positive vessels in uninvolved CD (111.9 +/- 22.6 vessels/mm2; normal ileum = 136.9 +/- 27.6; P = 0.04); and (iii) a moderate but statistically insignificant increase of LFA-1-positive cells in the mucosa of uninvolved UC and Crohn's ileitis. This altered expression of cell adhesion molecules may contribute to the early lesion in inflammatory bowel disease and provide new therapeutic opportunities.
Schuermann
G M
GM
Department of Histochemistry, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London, UK.
Aber-Bishop
A E
AE
Facer
P
P
Lee
J C
JC
Rampton
D S
DS
Doré
C J
CJ
Polak
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology*; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1