Differences in pancreatic immunohistochemical staining profiles of TGF-beta1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 between autoimmune and alcoholic chronic pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
Tumor growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is an immunosuppressive cytokine and has been implicated in a variety of disease processes, including those in autoimmune disease. Tumor growth factor beta is also involved in fibrosis by regulating matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and the tissue inhibitor of MP (TIMP). The purpose of this study was to compare the expression patterns of TGF-beta1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 between autoimmune chronic pancreatitis (AIP) and alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) by immunohistochemical staining of pancreatic tissue specimens.


METHODS
Pancreatic tissue specimens were obtained from 16 of 57 patients who had a diagnosis of AIP at the Asan Medical Center. Pancreatic tissue specimens of ACP were obtained from 10 patients who were surgically treated. Immunohistochemical staining was performed with antibodies specific for TGF-beta1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2.


RESULTS
The degree of immunohistochemical staining for TGF-beta1 was significantly weaker in AIP than in ACP in the pancreatic ductal epithelial and mononuclear cells (P = 0.029 and P = 0.018, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
This finding suggests that there may be a defect in the function of regulatory T (Treg) cells, which normally prevents autoimmune disease progression via a suppressor mechanism. Further studies are needed to identify the type of regulatory T cell involved in this process.
Choi
Eun Kwang
EK
Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University College of Medicine, Korea.
Kim
Myung-Hwan
MH
Jang
Se Jin
SJ
Lee
Keun-Hwa
KH
Hwang
Chang Yun
CY
Moon
Sung-Hoon
SH
Lee
Tae Yoon
TY
Koh
Chang Ok
CO
Park
Do Hyun
DH
Lee
Sang Soo
SS
Seo
Dong Wan
DW
Lee
Sung Koo
SK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D019512:Pancreatitis, Alcoholic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*
D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2