Systemic and local evidence of increased Fas-mediated apoptosis in ulcerative colitis.
OBJECTIVE
Recent studies suggest that Fas-mediated apoptosis is involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study was conducted to clarify whether soluble forms of Fas (sFas) and Fas ligand (sFasL) are concerned with inflammation in IBD.


METHODS
Concentration of serum sFas and sFasL was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 10 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), 10 with Crohn's disease (CD) in both active and remission stages, and 20 controls. Expression of Fas and sFas in colonic mucosa was examined by western blot. Distribution of Fas and FasL in colonic mucosa was examined by immunohistochemistry in 20 UC, 20 CD, and 10 non-IBD colitis patients and in 10 controls. Apoptotic cells were examined by TUNEL.


RESULTS
Concentration of systemic sFas was significantly lower in active UC than controls. The number of FasL-containing cells was significantly higher in active UC than in remission UC, non-IBD colitis, and controls. Apoptotic cells were increased in active UC.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate that systemic and local Fas-mediated apoptosis is promoted in UC, which might be involved in the pathogenesis in UC.
Yukawa
Michihiro
M
First Department of Internal Medicine, Akita University School of Medicine, Hondo, Japan.
Iizuka
Masahiro
M
Horie
Yasuo
Y
Yoneyama
Kazuo
K
Shirasaka
Tomoyuki
T
Itou
Hiroaki
H
Komatsu
Masafumi
M
Fukushima
Tsuneo
T
Watanabe
Sumio
S
D017209:Apoptosis; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003106:Colon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*
C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019014:fas Receptor