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Cytokine messenger RNA expression and proliferation status of intestinal mononuclear cells in noninflamed gut and Crohn's disease

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Abstract

T-cell activation and local cytokine production probably contribute to the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease. This study investigates the proliferative status of intestinal mononuclear cells (MNC) and cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) production in gut tissue sections from patients with Crohn's disease and noninflamed controls. mRNA in situ hybridization was performed using 33P-labelled riboprobes for human interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ. The expression of the proliferation-associated antigen Ki-67 was analysed by immunohistochemical single and double staining. Compared with controls, where proliferation of MNC and cytokine expression was restricted to mucosal lymphoid follicles, inflamed gut tissue contained increased numbers of cells expressing cytokine mRNA, most prominently IL-1β and IL-6, but also interferon-γ and tumour necrosis factor-α. Proliferating T-cells were increased in number, and small amounts of IL-2-expressing cells were detected. IL-4 was expressed by a few cells exclusively in follicular germinal centres. IL-5 was negative. Proinflammatory cytokines are strongly expressed in situ in Crohn's disease and largely predominate over lymphokine mRNA. Our results provide in situ evidence of a local lymphocyte response in Crohn's disease with characteristics of a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Applied Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    F. Autschbach, L. Qiao, R. Wallich & S. C. Meuer

  2. Department of Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    G. Schürmann

  3. Institute of Pathology, Medical University, Lübeck, Germany

    H. Merz

Authors
  1. F. Autschbach
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  2. L. Qiao
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  3. R. Wallich
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  4. S. C. Meuer
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  5. G. Schürmann
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  6. H. Merz
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Autschbach, F., Qiao, L., Wallich, R. et al. Cytokine messenger RNA expression and proliferation status of intestinal mononuclear cells in noninflamed gut and Crohn's disease. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 426, 51–60 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00194698

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00194698

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