CORRELATIONS BETWEEN INTERLEUKIN-8, AND MYELOPEROXIDASE OR LUMINOL-DEPENDENT CHEMILUMINESCENCE IN INFLAMED MUCOSA OF ULCERATIVE-COLITIS

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a peptide which induces not only chemotaxis of neutrophils but also the release of reactive oxygen metabolites from the neutrophils. There are few reports which clarify the relationships between IL-8 and mucosal infiltration of neutrophils or reactive oxyg en metabolites produced by neutrophils in the colonic mucosa of ulcera tive colitis (UC), Biopsy specimens of colonic mucosa obtained from 26 patients with active UC and 21 patients with inactive UC were studied in order to clarify the relationships among the inflammation factors in UC, Levels of IL-8 and myeloperoxidase in organ culture media of th e biopsy specimens from active UC (measured by ELISA and EIA) were sig nificantly higher than those from inactive UC and controls. Reactive o xygen metabolites of biopsy specimens in active UC (measured by lumino l-dependent chemiluminescence) were also markedly increased compared t o those in inactive UC and controls. The levels of IL-8 were closely c orrelated to luminol-dependent chemiluminescence or myeloperoxidase le vels, However, the levels of IL-8 and myeloperoxidase did not correlat e with the grades of activity on colonoendoscopic findings. These find ings suggest that IL-8 may play a role in the pathophysiology of UC bu t it does not define the endoscopic activity grades of UC.