title: Inflammation decreases keratin level in ulcerative colitis; inadequate restoration associates with increased risk of colitis-associated cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Keratins are intermediate filament (IF) proteins, which form part of the epithelial cytoskeleton and which have been implicated pathology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study biopsies were obtained from IBD patients grouped by disease duration and subtype into eight categories based on cancer risk and inflammatory status: quiescent recent onset (<5 years) UC (ROUC); UC with primary sclerosing cholangitis; quiescent long-standing pancolitis (20-40 years) (LSPC); active colitis and non-inflamed proximal colonic mucosa; pancolitis with dysplasia-both dysplastic lesions (DT) and distal rectal mucosa (DR); control group without pathology. Alterations in IF protein composition across the groups were determined by quantitative proteomics. Key protein changes were validated by western immunoblotting and immunohistochemical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acute inflammation resulted in reduced K8, K18, K19 and VIM (all p<0.05) compared to controls and non inflamed mucosa; reduced levels of if- associated proteins were also seen in DT and DR. Increased levels of keratins in LSPC was noted relative to controls or ROUC (K8, K18, K19 and VIM, p<0.05). Multiple K8 forms were noted on immunoblotting, with K8 phosphorylation reduced in progressive disease along with an increase in VIM:K8 ratio. K8 levels and phosphorylation are reduced in acute inflammation but appear restored or elevated in subjects with clinical and endoscopic remission (LSPC) but not apparent in subjects with elevated risk of cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that keratin regulation in remission may influence subsequent cancer risk.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Gastroenterology Research Group, Academic Unit of Surgical Oncology, Department of Oncology , University of Sheffield, The Medical School , Sheffield , UK ; Insigneo Institute for in silico Medicine, University of Sheffield , Sheffield , UK.
authors.forename: Bernard M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Corfe
authors.affiliation: Molecular Gastroenterology Research Group, Academic Unit of Surgical Oncology, Department of Oncology , University of Sheffield, The Medical School , Sheffield , UK ; Gastroenterology Unit , Royal Hallamshire Hospital , Sheffield , UK.
authors.forename: Debabrata
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Majumdar
authors.affiliation: Molecular Gastroenterology Research Group, Academic Unit of Surgical Oncology, Department of Oncology , University of Sheffield, The Medical School , Sheffield , UK ; Gastroenterology Unit , Royal Hallamshire Hospital , Sheffield , UK.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Assadsangabi
authors.affiliation: Molecular Gastroenterology Research Group, Academic Unit of Surgical Oncology, Department of Oncology , University of Sheffield, The Medical School , Sheffield , UK ; Gastroenterology Unit , Royal Hallamshire Hospital , Sheffield , UK.
authors.forename: Alexandra M R
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Pathology, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health , University of Sheffield , Sheffield , UK.
authors.forename: Simon S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.affiliation: Waters Corporation , Wilmslow , UK.
authors.forename: Joanne B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.affiliation: Biological and Systems Engineering Group, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering , ChELSI Institute, University of Sheffield , Sheffield , UK.
authors.forename: Caroline A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Molecular Gastroenterology Research Group, Academic Unit of Surgical Oncology, Department of Oncology , University of Sheffield, The Medical School , Sheffield , UK ; Gastroenterology Unit , Royal Hallamshire Hospital , Sheffield , UK.
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lobo
keywords: CYTOKERATINS; DYSPLASIA; GUT INFLAMMATION; ULCERATIVE COLITIS