A different view on the inflammatory bowel disease – the role of adhesion molecules and angiogenic growth factors

Abstract number: P1227

Araujo^* F., Magro† F., Meireles‡ E., Pereira† P., Henriques‡ I., Monteiro‡ F., Dinis-Ribeiro† M., Pereira‡ C., Lacerda‡ P., Tavarela Veloso† F., Cunha-Ribeiro‡ L. M.

†Department of Gastroenterology, Portugal; ‡Serv. Imuno-hemoterapi, Portugal ^*Serv. Imuno-hemoterapia, Portugal;

Introduction  

The importance of the immune system and growth factors in the pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are being increasingly recognized. The role of these molecules in the etiology, and the critical balance of regulatory citokynes during the active phase of the disease, are aspects that needed to be clarified in this multifactorial process. Our objective was to determine the levels of soluble adhesion molecules and angiogenic factors in IBD patients in different periods of disease activity.

Material and methods  

A cross-sectional study involving 218 patients (145 with Crohn's disease (CD) and 73 with ulcerative colitis (UC)), and 115 randomly asymptomatic blood donors was done. To assess disease activity, Harvey and Bradshaw's and Truelove-Witts' index were used. Circulating plasma sE-selectine (sE-S), sP-selectine (sP-S), human soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), human soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), serum levels of angiogenin (ANG) and the human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured by ELISA assays (R & D Systems, Inc.®). Quantification of mRNA – VEGF from leukocytes was done, using gene-specific labeled capture oligonucleotide probes. Total Nitric Oxide was quantified based on a Griess Reaction (R & D Syst.).

Results  

Table 1 (^*P < 0.05 in relation to controls).

Discussion  

There is increasing evidence of activation of cytokine leukocyte-endothelial adhesion molecules in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The lower serum levels of these soluble molecules, found in inactive phases of disease, could be an expression of their down-regulation or due to an intensive local consumption. The angiogenic growth factors are definitively involved in endothelial growth but their role in IBD is uncertain.

Table 1