Indaram AVK, Nandi S, Weissman S, Lam S, Bailey B, Blumstein M, Greenberg R, Bank S. Elevated basal intestinal mucosal cytokine levels in asymptomatic first-degree relatives of patients with Crohn’s disease.
World J Gastroenterol 2000;
6:49-52. [PMID:
11819521 PMCID:
PMC4723596 DOI:
10.3748/wjg.v6.i1.49]
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Abstract
AIM: To determine levels of cytokines in colonic mucosa of asymptomatic first degree relatives of Crohn’s disease patients.
METHODS: Cytokines (Interleukin (IL) 1-Beta, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-8) were measured using ELISA in biopsy samples of normal looking colonic mucosa of first degree relatives of Crohn’s disease patients (n = 9) and fro m normal controls (n = 10) with no family history of Crohn’s disease.
RESULTS: Asymptomatic first degree relatives of patients with Crohn’s disease had significantly higher levels of basal intestinal mucosal cytokines (IL-2, IL-6 and IL-8) than normal controls. Whether these increase d cytokine levels serve as phenotypic markers for a genetic predisposition to de veloping Crohn’s disease later on, or whether they indicate early (pre-cli nical) damage has yet to be further defined.
CONCLUSION: Asymptomatic first degree relatives of Crohn’s disease patients have higher levels of cytokines in their normal-looking intestinal mucosa compared to normal controls. This supports the hypothesis that increased cytokines may be a cause or an early event in the inflammatory cascade of Crohn’s disease and are not merely a result of the inflammatory process.
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