Distinct gene expression of osteopontin in patients with ulcerative colitis.
BACKGROUND
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a multifactorial disorder of unknown etiology. Few studies have applied genome-wide gene expression analysis in colon tissue samples of UC. We report the analysis of mucosal gene expression in UC and noninflamed control specimens.


METHODS
This study included 7 UC patients who received a total colectomy because of severe total colitis. Normal control colon tissues were obtained at least 10 cm from the area of pathology in 3 colon cancer patients. Ten colonic tissue samples (7 UC and 3 normal control samples) were subjected to high-density oligonucleotide array analysis. To compare differences in the level of gene expression between UC and control samples, Mann-Whitney U-test was used, with significance set at P < 0.05.


RESULTS
Twenty-five genes had a 3.0 approximately 23.4-fold higher mRNA expression in UC samples compared with normal samples, whereas three genes had a 3.0 approximately 3.4-fold lower expression in UC samples compared with normal samples. Two genes showing more than a 10-fold increase expression in UC samples were a macrophage metalloelastase (L23808) and a osteopontin (AF052124). It has been said that macrophage metalloelastase is related to ulcer formation of the intestine, whereas osteopontin plays an important role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our present study supports the previous report that macrophage metalloelastase is related to ulcer formation of UC, and it also indicates the possibility that osteopontin plays an important role in the pathogenesis of UC via increased immune activity.
Masuda
Hideki
H
Third Department of Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. hidekim@med.nihon-u.ac.jp
Takahashi
Yasuo
Y
Asai
Satoshi
S
Takayama
Tadatoshi
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003082:Colectomy; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D003106:Colon / Q000737:chemistry; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D053508:Matrix Metalloproteinase 12; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D053495:Osteopontin; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; C506895:SPP1 protein, human; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; D053495:Osteopontin; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C507122:MMP12 protein, human; D053508:Matrix Metalloproteinase 12