Contribution of the appendix to ulcerative colitis by supplying pathogenic immunoglobulin G-producing cells

Figure 5 Increased frequencies of immunoglobulin G-positive cells in the appendices of patients with ulcerative colitis and their reduction in the rectum and colon after appendectomy. A: Immunohistochemistry of immunoglobulin (Ig) G-positive cells in a control appendix (upper left, bar = 500 μm) and a patient with ulcerative colitis (UC) (bottom left and right, bars = 500 μm and 50 μm, respectively); B: Flow cytometric analysis of IgG-positive and IgA-positive cells in appendiceal lamina propria mononuclear cells in controls and UC [IgG-positive cells: (1) UC (n = 12); and (2) Control (n = 11); IgA-positive cells: (1) UC (n = 8); and (2) Control (n = 10)]; C: Immunohistochemistry of IgG-positive cells in the appendix and colorectal regions of a patient with UC. Bars = 100 μm; D: IgG-positive cells per area of immunohistochemistry sections in the appendix and colorectal regions of patients with UC (n = 15); E: IgG-positive and IgA-positive cells in immunohistochemistry sections of ulcerative appendicitis (n = 15), acute appendicitis (n = 10); F: IgG-positive cells in UC colorectal regions with (n = 5) or without (n = 15) appendectomy. Bars = 100 μm. Data are shown as mean ± SEM (B and D-F). ^aP < 0.05; ^bP < 0.01; ^cP < 0.001; and ^dP < 0.0001. Ig: Immunoglobulin; UC: Ulcerative colitis.