title: Colonic mucosal expression of heat-shock proteins may have a potential prognostic value in ulcerative colitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a lifelong, chronic, progressive, and relapsing inflammatory disease. Endoscopy with biopsies is the mainstay in diagnosis and assessment. The development of biomarkers is important for the diagnosis and follow-up of UC. We investigated the expression of molecular chaperones/heat-shock proteins (HSP70 and HSP90) in relation to the grades of inflammation and dysplasia in patients with UC before and after treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 104 naïve patients with UC of varying severity were admitted to the Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tanta University Hospital. Ten biopsies from the healthy mucosa of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) served as a control. Disease activity was assessed clinically using the Mayo score system. Endoscopic mucosal biopsies were taken at diagnosis and 6 months after treatment. Histopathological activity was graded for inflammation and dysplasia. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the percentage of cells positive for HSPs. The results were expressed in a semiquantitative scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of both HSP70 and HSP90 increased in patients with UC at the time of disease activity, and it decreased after treatment and remission. There was a significant correlation between the expression of both proteins and the grades of dysplasia as well as inflammation (P < 0.05). Strong expression of HSPs that persisted after treatment has been associated with cases of true dysplasia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated that HSP70 and HSP90 had the potential for assessment of the activity and prognosis of UC. They can also predict the presence of dysplasia and differentiate it from reactive atypia. Larger studies are needed to confirm this diagnostic and prognostic value of HSPs.
authors: Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors: Abdel Raouf
authors: AR
authors: Abou El Azm
authors: Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors: Mohamed
authors: M
authors: Yousef
authors: Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors: Abdelrahman
authors: A
authors: Kobtan
authors: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors: Aymen
authors: A
authors: Awad
authors: Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors: Galal
authors: G
authors: Elkassas
authors: Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt. Electronic address: asemelfert@asemelfert-ddc.com.
authors: Asem
authors: A
authors: Elfert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins
keywords: Colonic dysplasia; HSP70; HSP90; Heat-shock proteins; Ulcerative colitis