title: Inflammatory gradient in Barrett's oesophagus: implications for disease complications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Barrett's oesophageal epithelium (BE) is clinically important due to the associated inflammatory and malignant complications which are unevenly distributed throughout the BE segment. As the immunoregulatory environment may influence disease manifestations, we analysed the inflammatory and cytokine responses throughout the BE mucosa. We then investigated whether the inflammatory gradient is related to the distribution of metaplastic cell subtypes, epithelial exposure to the components of refluxate, or squamocolumnar cell interactions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty consecutive patients with long segment BE were recruited. The segmental degree of endoscopic and histopathological inflammation was graded, and expression of interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-8, IL-4, and IL-10 were determined by ELISA following organ culture with or without addition of acid or bile salts. Mucin staining and IL-10 immunohistochemistry were performed. The effect of squamocolumnar interactions on cytokine expression were analysed using cocultures of squamous (OE-21) and BE (TE7) carcinoma cell lines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a histopathological inflammatory gradient in BE. Inflammation was maximal at the new squamocolumnar junction with > or = 2-fold increase in proinflammatory IL-8 and IL-1 beta expression. The proximal proinflammatory response could not be explained by the distribution of metaplastic subtypes. Pulsatile exposure of BE to acid and bile, as well as juxtaposition of BE to squamous epithelial cells in culture, increased expression of IL-1 beta. In contrast, inflammation was minimal distally with a significant increase in anti-inflammatory IL-10 expression and 4/6 cancers occurred distally.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specific cytokine responses may contribute to the localisation of inflammatory and malignant complications within BE.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Cell Unit, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, Hills Road, Cambridge, and Havering Hospitals NHS Trust, Romford, Essex, UK. rcf@hutchison-mrc.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdalla
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Onwuegbusi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sirieix
authors.forename: I T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Burnham
authors.forename: M J G
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Farthing
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000473:pathology*; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000032:analysis; D007378:Interleukins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D007378:Interleukins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid