INCREASED GROUP-II PHOSPHOLIPASE A(2) IN COLONIC MUCOSA OF PATIENTS WITH CROHNS-DISEASE AND ULCERATIVE-COLITIS

The immunochemical protein content of group II phospholipase A(2) (PLA (2)) and PLA(2) enzymatic activity were measured for colonic mucosal b iopsy samples obtained from patients with either Crohn's disease of th e colon or ulcerative colitis, and control patients without inflammato ry bowel disease. Immunoreactive group II PLA(2) (IR-PLA(2) II) conten t and PLA(2) activity in actively inflamed colonic mucosa of Crohn's d isease patients were significantly higher than those in inactively inf lamed mucosa of Crohn's disease patients and the colonic mucosa of con trols. IR-PLA(2) II content and PLA(2) activity in severely inflamed m ucosa of ulcerative colitis patients were significantly higher than th ose in the colonic mucosa of the controls. Mucosal PLA(2) enzymatic ac tivity was closely correlated with mucosal IR-PLA(2) II content in pat ients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. These results sugge st that an increase in PLA(2) enzymatic activity in inflamed colonic m ucosa of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis was mainly attributed to increased protein content of group II PLA(2), and that an increase in mucosal group II PLA(2) may be involved in the pathogenesis of inte stinal inflammation of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.