High plasma osteopontin levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
BACKGROUND
Osteopontin (OPN) plays a key role in the progression of T(H)1-immune-mediated disease in models of multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether plasma OPN levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease are associated with disease activity.


METHODS
Plasma samples were obtained from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC, n=30), Crohn's disease (CD, n=30), and healthy volunteers (controls, n=30) and enzyme immunoassay was performed.


RESULTS
Plasma OPN concentrations were significantly higher in patients with Crohn's disease than in controls (951.9+/-538.5 ng/mL and 659.0+/-163.7 ng/mL, respectively). OPN concentrations in patients with UC were also higher than in the controls (1149.6+/-791.0 and 659.0+/-163.7, respectively). There was a significant difference in plasma OPN level between active UC and inactive UC (2102.0+/-552.8 and 649.4+/-313.0, respectively). Moreover, a significant correlation was observed between plasma OPN concentration and disease activity, as determined by the clinical activity index in patients with UC.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that the plasma concentrations of OPN are elevated in patients with UC and that OPN expression is correlated with clinical activity. These results provide insight into UC pathogenesis and suggest that OPN may be a useful tool for assessing disease activity.
Mishima
Ryosuke
R
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan.
Takeshima
Fuminao
F
Sawai
Terumitsu
T
Ohba
Kazuo
K
Ohnita
Ken
K
Isomoto
Hajime
H
Omagari
Katsuhisa
K
Mizuta
Yohei
Y
Ozono
Yoshiyuki
Y
Kohno
Shigeru
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003106:Colon / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
D053495:Osteopontin