title: Elevated basal intestinal mucosal cytokine levels in asymptomatic first-degree relatives of patients with Crohn's disease.
abstract: AIM:To determine levels of cytokines in colonic mucosa of asymptomatic first degree relatives of Crohn's disease patients.METHODS:Cytokines (Interleukin (IL) 1-Beta, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-8) were measured using ELISA in biopsy samples of normal looking colonic mucosa of first degree relatives of Crohn's disease patients (n = 9) and from normal controls (n = 10) with no family history of Crohn's disease.RESULTS:Asymptomatic first degree relatives of patients with Crohn's disease had significantly higher levels of basal intestinal mucosal cytokines (IL-2, IL-6 and IL-8) than normal controls. Whether these increased cytokine levels serve as phenotypic markers for a genetic predisposition to developing Crohn's disease later on, or whether they indicate early (pre-clinical) damage has yet to be further defined.CONCLUSION:Asymptomatic first degree relatives of Crohn's disease patients have higher levels of cytokines in their normal-looking intestinal mucosa compared to normal controls. This supports the hypothesis that increased cytokines may be a cause or an early event in the inflammatory cascade of Crohn's disease and are not merely a result of the inflammatory process.
authors.forename: Anant VK
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Indaram
authors.forename: Santa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nandi
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weissman
authors.forename: Sing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Meyer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blumstein
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Simmy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bank