INTESTINAL EXPRESSION AND CELLULAR IMMUNE-RESPONSES TO HUMAN HEAT-SHOCK PROTEIN-60 IN CROHNS-DISEASE

Changes in the intestinal expression of the endogenous human 60-kDa he at-shock protein (HSP60) were investigated in patients with Crohn's di sease. HSP60 immunoreactivity was detected in epithelial cells, vascul ar smooth muscle, and nerve cell bodies of both small and large bowel from patients with Crohn's disease. However, control tissue showed a s imilar pattern of HSP60 expression. Western blot analysis confirmed th at the HSP60 immunoreactivity detected in the intestine corresponded t o the 60-kDa HSP. The proliferative response of peripheral blood lymph ocytes (PBL) and intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) to recom binant human HSP60 was examined. The results indicate that there was n o significant difference in responses between patients with Crohn's di sease and controls. Furthermore, there was no increase in the proporti on of gamma/delta T cell receptor-bearing T cells in PBL from patients with Crohn's disease cultured for six days in the presence of human H SP60 as compared to control patients. These results suggest that endog enous human HSP60 is unlikely to be a target for an autoimmune respons e in patients with Crohn's disease.