Increased eosinophil granule proteins in gut lavage fluid from patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the potential role of eosinophils in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).


METHODS
We measured the concentrations of eosinophil granule proteins-namely, major basic protein, eosinophil peroxidase, eosinophil cationic protein, and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin-in gut lavage fluid.


METHODS
Ten healthy persons and 17 patients with IBD (9 with Crohn's disease and 8 with ulcerative colitis) underwent gut lavage. Each study subject submitted an early specimen when lavage effluent became liquid and a late specimen when the output became clear. The concentrations of the granule proteins were measured by immunoassay.


RESULTS
The median concentrations of eosinophil-derived neurotoxin and eosinophil cationic protein were significantly higher in patients with IBD than in control subjects for both early and late lavage specimens. Excretion of eosinophil peroxidase was also significantly higher in patients with IBD than in the healthy control subjects, but only in the early specimens. No differences were noted in the concentrations of any of the proteins between patients with ulcerative colitis and those with Crohn's disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Concentrations of eosinophil granule proteins were increased in whole gut lavage fluid from patients with IBD in comparison with healthy control subjects. These results encourage further studies of the role of eosinophils in the pathogenesis of IBD.
Levy
A M
AM
Division of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Gleich
G J
GJ
Sandborn
W J
WJ
Tremaine
W J
WJ
Steiner
B L
BL
Phillips
S F
SF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000378:metabolism; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D047209:Eosinophil Peroxidase; D047208:Eosinophil-Derived Neurotoxin; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000032:analysis*; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D007422:Intestines / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000032:analysis*; D012259:Ribonuclease, Pancreatic / Q000032:analysis; D012260:Ribonucleases; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
D001798:Blood Proteins; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D009498:Neurotoxins; D047209:Eosinophil Peroxidase; D010544:Peroxidases; D047208:Eosinophil-Derived Neurotoxin; D012260:Ribonucleases; D012259:Ribonuclease, Pancreatic