title: Decreased expression of protease inhibitor 9, a granzyme B inhibitor, in celiac disease: a potential mechanism in enterocyte destruction and villous atrophy.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the expression of protease inhibitor 9, a granzyme B inhibitor, in human small intestine, and to evaluate its cytoprotective role in the celiac disease of children. Twelve subjects with untreated celiac disease and thirteen healthy controls were examined by endoscopy. The expression of protease inhibitor 9 was analyzed immunohistochemically from duodenal biopsies and compared to granzyme B expression, apoptosis rate, number of intraepithelial lymphocytes and villus and crypt height data from the biopsies. We discovered that protease inhibitor 9 is expressed in the cytoplasm of the duodenal epithelial cells in the majority of cases. The enterocyte expression of protease inhibitor 9 was lower in celiac disease patients than in controls. Protease inhibitor 9 expression also showed a negative correlation with the number of apoptotic cells, overall density of granzyme B expressing intraepithelial lymphocytes, the height of the crypts and the severity of villous atrophy in duodenum. Therefore, we conclude that the protease inhibitor 9 is constantly expressed in the enterocytes of normal duodenum and the expression is decreased in celiac disease. These findings suggest that protease inhibitor 9 has a role in duodenal homeostasis and in the protection of enterocytes from misdirected granzyme B. Indeed, observed associations of lowered protease inhibitor 9 expression together with increased granzyme B expression, apoptosis rate and severity of villous atrophy suggest that impaired balance between granzyme B mediated cytotoxicity and its inhibition by protease inhibitor 9 forms an important factor in the pathogenesis of villous atrophy in celiac disease.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: V-M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Pohjanen
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kokkonen
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arvonen
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Augustin
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patankar
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turunen
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vähäsalo
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Karttunen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017209:Apoptosis; D001284:Atrophy; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020895:Enterocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D053804:Granzymes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D015843:Serpins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: C102316:SERPINB9 protein, human; D015843:Serpins; D053804:Granzymes