title: High serum vaspin concentrations in patients with ulcerative colitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adipocytokines are associated with energy homeostasis and mediate various immune responses and inflammatory processes. Vaspin is a novel adipocytokine that is thought to exhibit anti-inflammatory effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate serum vaspin levels in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and determine its possible associations with the course and to clarify its intestinal localization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were obtained from patients with Crohn's disease (CD; n = 30) and ulcerative colitis (UC; n = 33) and from healthy volunteers (controls; n = 26). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed for all patients. Vaspin immunohistochemical staining was performed for intestines affected with IBD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum vaspin concentrations were significantly higher in patients with UC than in patients with CD and controls (422.9 ± 361.9 vs. 163.4 ± 116.2 vs. 147.5 ± 89.4 pg/mL, respectively; P < 0.01). There was no difference in the serum vaspin concentrations between the patients with CD and controls. There was also no difference in the serum vaspin concentrations between the patients with active IBD and those with inactive IBD. However, the serum vaspin concentrations of most patients with UC increased after remission induction. Vaspin was expressed in the adipocytes of the mesenteric adipose tissues but not in the epithelial or inflammatory cells of large intestines of the patients with IBD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum vaspin concentrations are elevated in patients with UC and increase further after remission induction, suggesting that vaspin may aid the auxiliary diagnosis of UC and may be useful for assessing disease activity in patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morisaki
authors.forename: Fuminao
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Takeshima
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Kayoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsushima
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akazawa
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohnita
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Isomoto
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeshita
authors.forename: Terumitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sawai
authors.forename: Fumihiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakao
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood*; D003106:Colon / Q000737:chemistry*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015843:Serpins / Q000097:blood*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C507339:SERPINA12 protein, human; D015843:Serpins