Polymorphism of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 in Crohn's disease.
OBJECTIVE
The chemokine MCP-1 is thought to be important for the recruitment of mononuclear cells and the maintenance of inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease. We investigated whether MCP-1 protein expression is correlated with the degree of mucosal inflammation in patients with Crohn's disease. Furthermore, we studied whether a functional single nucleotide polymorphism (G or A) located in the distal regulatory region of the MCP-1 gene is associated with Crohn's disease and/or its phenotype.


METHODS
MCP-1 concentration in tissue homogenates was analyzed in mucosal biopsy specimens of 31 patients with Crohn's disease and 48 controls by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the correlation with an endoscopic macroscopic score was analyzed. In 179 patients with Crohn's disease and 189 controls MCP-1 genotyping was carried out by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. Subgroup phenotypic analysis was performed according to the Vienna classification.


RESULTS
MCP-1 tissue concentrations were significantly associated with the macroscopic degree of inflammation. The gene frequency of the different MCP-1 alleles did not differ from healthy controls. However, the G/A and G/G genotype was significantly decreased in patients with a later onset of the disease and both genotypes presented also less frequently with a fistulizing disease behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
The degree of intestinal inflammation in Crohn's disease is associated with MCP-1 tissue levels. Furthermore there is evidence for an association of different disease behavior with different MCP-1 genotypes.
Herfarth
Hans
H
Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Regensburg, 93042 Regensburg, Germany. hans.herfarth@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
Göke
Michael
M
Hellerbrand
Claus
C
Mühlbauer
Marcus
M
Vogl
Daniela
D
Schölmerich
Jürgen
J
Rogler
Gerhard
G
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D018932:Chemokine CCL2