title: Expression of IFN-γ and IL-4 in the esophageal mucosa of patients with reflux esophagitis and Barrett's esophagus and their relationship with endoscopic and histologic grading.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated the expression of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the esophageal biopsies from patients with reflux esophagitis (RE) and Barrett's esophagus (BE) and their relationships with endoscopic grading and histologic grading.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety individuals were recruited (30 RE, 30 BE, and 30 normal control) and underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with esophageal biopsy. Immunohistochemistry was used to semi-quantitatively detect the expression of IFN-γ and IL-4 in the specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IFN-γ was overexpressed in BE and RE compared with the control (P < 0.01), whereas IL-4 was up-regulated in BE compared with RE and control (P < 0.01). A positive correlation between the level of IFN-γ and the endoscopic grading (r = 0.509, P < 0.01) and histologic grading of RE (r = 0.493, P < 0.01) was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Th1 and Th2 immune responses play different roles in the development of RE and BE. Th1 immune response is the major pathway for RE development, whereas both Th1 and Th2 immune responses are implicated in BE pathogenesis. The expression of IFN-γ is associated with the endoscopic and histologic grading of RE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 107 West Yanjiang Road, 510120, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000473:pathology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma