title: High plasma osteopontin levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mishima
authors.forename: Fuminao
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Takeshima
authors.forename: Terumitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sawai
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohba
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohnita
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Isomoto
authors.forename: Katsuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omagari
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mizuta
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozono
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kohno
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D053495:Osteopontin