Altered mucin core peptide expression in acute and chronic cholecystitis

Human mucin genes include membrane-bound mucins (MUC1, MUC3, MUC4) and secr etory mucins (MUC2, MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC6). Our aim was to determine mucin ge ne expression in human gallbladder cell lines, normal gallbladder from live r donors (N = 7) and surgical specimens with mild chronic cholecystitis (N = 29), chronic cholecystitis (N = 48), and acute and chronic cholecystitis (N = 27). MUC1 mRNA was ubiquitous; however, only rare MUC1 immunoreactivit y was detected. MUC3, MUC5AC, MUC5B, and MUC6 mRNA were present in all gall bladder specimens and cell lines examined, Prominent MUC3, MUC5AC, MUC5B, a nd MUC6 immunoreactivity was present in 86-100% of normal gallbladders, The frequency of MUC5AC reactivity was decreased in specimens with acute chole cystitis (P < 0.05). In contrast, MUC2-reactivity was absent in normal gall bladder and present in 53.8% of acute cholecystitis specimens (P < 0.05). S urface epithelium is characterized by MUC3, MUC5AC, and MUC5B, whereas deep er mucosal folds display MUC5B and MUC6 immunoreactivity. Gallbladder epith elium demonstrates a unique and diverse pattern of mucin core proteins that becomes altered with increasing degrees of inflammation.