High mucosal levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha messenger RNA in AIDS-associated cytomegalovirus-induced esophagitis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), a key inflammatory cytokine, in cytomegalovirus-associated gastrointestinal disease, we quantitated the level of TNF-alpha messenger RNA (mRNA) in esophageal mucosa from patients with cytomegalovirus-associated esophagitis and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.


METHODS
Four patients underwent endoscopic biopsy of their cytomegalovirus-associated esophageal ulcers before and after ganciclovir therapy. The level of TNF-alpha mRNA in coded esophageal specimens was assessed by in situ hybridization, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Esophageal mucosa from 3 patients whose ulcers healed or markedly improved contained before therapy numerous macrophages expressing TNF-alpha mRNA and high tissue levels of TNF-alpha mRNA that decreased substantially or were not detectable after therapy. In contrast, esophageal specimens from the single patient whose ulcer worsened after therapy contained many mucosal macrophages expressing TNF-alpha mRNA before as well as after therapy, and the high number of molecules of TNF-alpha mRNA present in the tissue before therapy increased further after treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased macrophage production and high tissue levels of TNF-alpha mRNA are associated with cytomegalovirus-associated esophageal ulcers and probably contribute to the inflammatory response associated with cytomegalovirus-induced gastrointestinal disease.
Wilcox
C M
CM
Department of Medicine, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, USA.
Harris
P R
PR
Redman
T K
TK
Kawabata
S
S
Hiroi
T
T
Kiyono
H
H
Smith
P D
PD
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha