Tumour necrosis factor alpha in segmental colitis associated with diverticula.
The pathogenesis of segmental colitis associated with diverticula (SCAD) is unclear, but tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) has been shown to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases. The aim of this study was to assess TNF-alpha levels in patients with SCAD. In a post hoc analysis of a prospective multicenter study, tissue samples from 13 patients diagnosed with SCAD were subjected to histological analyses. The severity of the inflammation was assessed by means of a histological score and histomorphometry (number of inflammatory cells/mm2). Immunohistochemical staining with an antibody against TNF-alpha was performed on all biopsies and the degree of staining expressed as the percentage of positive stromal cells/1000 counted (TNF-alpha score). Matched patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were used as controls. Over-expression of TNF-alpha was found in all SCAD patients (38.6 +/- 10.4%), and it was associated with a high histological score (2.5 +/- 0.5) and neutrophil cell count (16.3 +/- 3/mm2). These values were distinctly higher than those found in the IBS controls. Our data suggest that TNF-alpha activity is involved in SCAD pathogenesis, similarly to what occurs in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Foggia, Ospedali Riuniti, Viale L. Pinto, Foggia 71100, Italy. enzo.ierardi@fastwebnet.it
Enzo
E
Ierardi
Gianmichele
G
Meucci
Cesare
C
Hassan
Angelo
A
Zullo
Gianni
G
Imperiali
Vincenzo
V
De Francesco
Carmine
C
Panella
Sergio
S
Morini
Giorgio
G
Minoli
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003092:Colitis / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha