Increased expression of IP-10, IL-8, MCP-1, and MCP-3 in ulcerative colitis

Chemokines are thought to be important for the recruitment of granulocytes and mononuclear cells and thus for the maintenance of inflammation in ulcer ative colitis (UC). We have studied the expression of interferon-gamma indu cible protein-10 (IP-10), interleukin-8 (IL-8), monocyte chemoattractant pr otein (MCP)-1, MCP-3, and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1 alpha in UC patients and control individuals to assess the role of these chemokines in disease progression. Colonic biopsies were taken endoscopically from pat ients and controls, frozen immediately and subsequently stained for IP-10, IL-8, MCP-1, MCP-3, and MIP-1 alpha in serial sections. Cells infiltrating the lamina propria but not epithelial cells express the analyzed chemokines . They were differentiated and counted, and chemokine-expressing cells were quantified by image analysis,The percentage of cells expressing IP-10, IL- 8, MCP-1, and MCP-3 was significantly enhanced in all UC samples as compare d to controls. Expression in the controls was borderline, except for IP-10. No expression of MIP-1 alpha was found in controls and UC, IP-10 was also markedly expressed in the mucosa of control biopsies and therefore could ha ve a role in activated T lymphocytes' recruitment into the healthy mucosa.