title: Met-enkephalins in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Opioid peptides provide a link between the neuroendocrine and immune systems. They modify the inflammatory process through their effect on the synthesis and secretion of cytokines and on the proliferation of leukocytes to the inflammatory lesion. The evaluation analyzed changes in free met-enkephalin concentration values in the serum and colon mucosal biopsy specimens of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
  
  
  METHODS
  In serum and colon mucosal biopsy specimens, free met-enkephalin levels were determined in 43 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 38 individuals with Crohn's disease (CD). The evaluation analyzed the effect of disease activity, inflammatory lesions of the colon and laboratory parameters, on the level of the investigated marker. The control group consisted of 45 healthy volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum free met-enkephalin levels were depressed in patients with CD (85.4pg/ml) and UC (101.5pg/ml) as compared to the controls (119.4pg/ml). Met-enkephalin levels in colonic biopsies collected from inflammatory lesions in IBD patients were significantly higher as compared to sections without inflammatory lesions (6.59pg/mg vs. 2.89pg/mg, p < 0.01 in the CD group and 6.12pg/mg vs. 3.47pg/mg, p < 0.05 in the UC group) and their level correlated with disease activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present investigation is the first study that demonstrates changes in free met-enkephalin levels in IBD that may play a role in the pathogenesis and course of the disease. Further studies are necessary to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of opioid peptides.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Owczarek
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Cibor
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Mach
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Cieśla
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Pierzchała-Koziec
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Sałapa
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Kuśnierz-Cabała
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018847:Opioid Peptides; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine