title: Specific detection of OCT4 isoforms in inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Developmentally early cells are mobilized into peripheral blood in Crohn's disease (CD) patients. OCT4, is considered to be important in sustaining the pluripotency of stem cells. OCT4 splicing variants are differentially expressed in pluripotent and non-pluripotent cells. Our study aims to investigate the expression pattern of OCT4 variants and SOX-2, an essential factor implicated in self-renewal and pluripotency, in tissue and blood samples from patients with IBD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood and tissue samples were collected from patients with active CD and ulcerative colitis (UC), and from healthy individuals. OCT4 expression was documented by Western blot, immunohistochemistry and by reverse transcription-real-time PCR. OCT4 isoform determination was documented using specific primers. SOX-2 expression levels were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OCT4 protein levels were significantly higher in CD tissue samples than in CD blood samples, and in UC tissue samples. OCT4 protein was localized mainly in the cytosol. In all samples, only the OCT4 pseudogenes and the OCT4B1 variant were detected. OCT4B1 expression levels were elevated in both tissue and blood samples from CD and UC cases compared to healthy controls. In CD patients only SOX-2 mRNA levels were found slightly increased compared to healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that OCT4 is expressed in patients with IBD. Furthermore, we found the presence of the OCT4B1 isoform in IBD in both tissue and blood samples. Our results have shown, that developmentally early cells might be mobilized into peripheral blood as result of tissue damage, indicating a possible role of these cells in repair of injured intestinal tract.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maragkoudaki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Michalakopoulou 176, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaiopoulou
authors.affiliation: Colorectal and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: George E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Theodoropoulos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Michalakopoulou 176, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Legaki
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Microbiologia e Virologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Leonardo A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Sechi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, "Aretaieio" University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karamanolis
authors.affiliation: Colorectal and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zografos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Michalakopoulou 176, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gazouli
keywords: Crohn’s disease; IBD; Mobilization; Stem cells; Ulcerative colitis