Substance P containing nerve fibers in rectal mucosa of ulcerative colitis.
OBJECTIVE
The intestine is rich in peptidergic innervation, which modulates mucosal immune responses. Among neuropeptides, substance P (SubP) has received considerable attention for stimulatory effects on various immunocytes in inflammatory diseases. In our prior study, we demonstrated increased innervation of SubP containing nerve fibers (SubP fibers) in ulcerative colitis (UC) surgically resected colonic specimens. In the present study, we examined the alterations of SubP fibers among various subgroups of UC, divided according to clinicopathologic features.


METHODS
Distribution of SubP fibers were examined immunohistochemically in the rectal biopsy specimens of UC. The UC group was further divided into subgroups according to six clinicopathologic parameters. The linear density of SubP fibers was measured by digitalized morphometry for quantitative analysis.


RESULTS
Multivariate analysis revealed significant correlations between linear density of SubP fibers vs. activity of diseases and total dose of prednisolone. Linear density was significantly increased in active cases of UC (active UC, 22.6 +/- 1.6 microm/1,000 microm2; vs. inactive UC, 12.2 +/- 0.8 microm/1,000 microm2; P < 0.01). Furthermore, the increase was pronounced in cases that showed persistent inflammation and, accordingly, needed a high dose or continuous administration of prednisolone.


CONCLUSIONS
Alterations in SubP fibers appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis of UC.
Watanabe
T
T
First Department of Surgery, the University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Hongo, Japan.
Kubota
Y
Y
Muto
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012007:Rectum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis* / Q000187:drug effects
D013373:Substance P; D011239:Prednisolone