title: Tumour necrosis factor alpha antibody affects gastrin release in Crohn disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrin plays an important role in the regulation of gastric acid secretion in humans. Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) stimulates gastrin release from antral G cells in vitro. The aim was to determine whether gastrin release decreases in patients with Crohn disease treated with monoclonal antibody to TNF-alpha.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five consecutive patients with Crohn disease (10 M, 15 F; 18 with fistulas) were treated with a single intravenous infusion of the monoclonal antibody to TNF-alpha, infliximab, at a dose of 5 mg/kg. Basal and bombesin stimulated gastrin was measured after an overnight fast immediately before and 2 weeks after infliximab. Helicobacter pylori status was determined by serology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two patients were H. pylori-negative. Basal plasma gastrin was 21 (16-26) pmol/L before and 19 (15-25) pmol/L after infliximab (NS). Bombesin stimulated gastrin decreased from 49 (40-62) pmol/L before to 36 (33-59) pmol/L (P < 0.005) 2 weeks after infliximab.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gastrin release in response to bombesin decreases in patients with Crohn disease treated with infliximab.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. W.Hopman@mdl.umcn.nl
authors.forename: W P M
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Hopman
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: A H J
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Naber
authors.forename: J B M J
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001839:Bombesin / Q000378:metabolism; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D019863:Gastrin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005755:Gastrins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005755:Gastrins; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D001839:Bombesin