Expression of CXC receptor 1 and 2 in esophageal mucosa of patients with reflux esophagitis.
OBJECTIVE
Interleukin 8 (IL-8) mediates neutrophil trafficking via its receptors. Recent studies have shown that IL-8 is likely involved in the development and progression of erosive reflux esophagitis (RE), yet little is known about the two distinct receptors, CXC receptor (CXCR)-1 and -2. The purpose of this study was to determine CXCR-1 and -2 messenger RNA expression levels in RE.


METHODS
We studied 26 patients with RE and 15 asymptomatic controls. Paired biopsy samples were taken from the esophagus 3 cm above the gastroesophageal junction; one biopsy was snap frozen for measurement of CXCR-1 and -2 mRNA levels by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and another was formalin-fixed for histopathological evaluation. We also examined the association of the expression levels of CXCR-1 and -2 mRNA with histopathological hallmarks of RE.


RESULTS
The relative CXCR-1 and -2 mRNA expression levels were rather decreased in esophageal mucosa of patients with RE, compared to those in normal esophagus of controls. There were no significant difference in the relative mRNA expression levels of CXCR-1 and -2 among endoscopic grades of RE based on the Los Angeles classification. Each histopathological hallmark of GERD was not associated with the expression levels of CXCR-1 and -2 mRNA.


CONCLUSIONS
Apart from overexpression of IL-8, the relative expression levels of CXCR-1 and -2 mRNA were rather lower than expected in the affected esophageal mucosa of patients with RE.
Isomoto
Hajime
H
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan. hajimei2002@yahoo.co.jp
Kanazawa
Yusei
Y
Nishi
Yoshito
Y
Wen
Chun-Yang
CY
Inoue
Kenichiro
K
Kohno
Shigeru
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D023062:Receptors, Interleukin-8A / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D023063:Receptors, Interleukin-8B / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D023062:Receptors, Interleukin-8A; D023063:Receptors, Interleukin-8B