title: [Role of integrin α4β7 in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis in rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of integrin α4β7 in the development of ulcerative colitis (UC) in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the control group (acetone enema), the model group (2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene, DNCB enema), and the α4 intervention group. Colonic mucosa of different groups was observed and compared in terms of pathology and cytokine changes(IL-2 and IL-6) using ELISA. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to detect the colon α4β7 expression. Integrin α4β7(+) lymphocytes in the portal vein of rats were determined by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of α4 mRNA was 0.68±0.24 in the model group and 0.58±0.37 in the intervention group, and the expression of β7 mRNA was 0.84±0.37 in the model group and 0.65±0.30 in the intervention group, which were all significantly higher as compared to those in the control group(0.15±0.13 for α4 and 0.24±0.62 for β7, P<0.01). The proportions of integrin α4β7 positive lymphocytes in the portal vein in the model group and intervention group were significantly higher than that in the control group [(76.7±8.2)% and (68.2±7.6)% vs. (14.7±6.7)%, P<0.01]. The expression of IL-2 and IL-6 and the result of macroscopic and microscopic scores in the intervention group were lower than those in the model group(P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High expression of α4β7 may play an important role in experimental colon mucosa inflammation in rats with ulcerative colitis. The blockade of integrin α4β7 may be a potential target to reduce colonic mucosa inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China. gebujun@126.com.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Bu-jun
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xi-mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chang-qing
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D016023:Integrins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; C071777:integrin alpha4beta7