Serum tenascin-C is an indicator of inflammatory bowel disease activity

Tenascin-C is a multifunctional matrix protein that is induced in inflammat ion and neoplasia. In the colonic mucosa of ulcerative colitis patients ten ascin-C indicates tissue repair, and mucosal concentrations are correlated with local disease activity. We prospectively examined the relationship bet ween serum concentrations of tenascin-C parameters of disease activity in s urgically treated patients with ulcerative colitis and patients with inflam matory bowel disease (IBD). Perioperative serum concentrations were quantif ied by ELISA in 58 patients admitted for restorative proctocolectomy; contr ols were 37 patients with familial adenomatous polyposis receiving the same treatment. We also measured tenascin-C serum levels in 47 patients with ul cerative colitis and Crohn's disease who were receiving nonsurgical treatme nt. Preoperative serum tenascin-C levels were significantly higher in ulcer ative colitis patients than in controls (17.2 +/- 14.6 mug/ml vs. 3.2 +/-1. 7 mug/ml) and were significantly correlated with clinical and histological parameters of disease activity; levels decreased significantly after restor ative proctocolectomy. Serum tenascin-C levels were also correlated with th e course of disease activity in conservatively treated IBD patients. Tenasc in-C is thus not disease-specific. However, it does indicate the activity o f IBD and may reflect the degree of tissue remodeling. The tenascin-C level s therefore offers a novel serum parameter for assessing disease activity a nd monitoring therapy in patients with IBD.