Rapid Communication
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 28, 2006; 12(4): 621-624
Published online Jan 28, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i4.621
Serum interleukin-1 receptor antagonist is an early indicator of colitis onset in Gαi2-deficient mice
OH Hultgren, M Berglund, M Bjursten, E Hultgren Hörnquist
OH Hultgren, M Berglund, M Bjursten, E Hultgren Hörnquist, Department of Clinical Immunology, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden
Supported by Göteborg Medical Society, the Lars Hierta Memorial Foundation, and Magnus Bergvalls Foundation, the Swedish Medical Research Council (grant no. K2002-06X-12174), EU grant no. QLRT-199-0050, O.E. and Edla Johansson’s Foundation, Nanna Svartz Foundation, Clas Groschinsky Foundation, Adlerberts Research Foundation, Sahlgrens University Hospital Foundation (LUA/ALF), Åke Wiberg Foundation, Börje Dahlin Foundation, and the Swedish Society of Medicine
Correspondence to: Dr. Olof H Hultgren, Department of Clinical Immunology, Göteborg University, Guldhedsgatan 10 A, S-413 46 Göteborg, Sweden. olof.hultgren@immuno.gu.se
Telephone: +46-31-3424714 Fax: +46-31-826791
Received: March 28, 2005
Revised: March 28, 2005
Accepted: April 26, 2005
Published online: January 28, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To study the serum concentration of IL-1β, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and IL-18 in Gαi2-deficient mice at the age of 6 (healthy), 12 (pre-colitic) and 24 wk (colitic) and in healthy control mice.

METHODS: At the time of killing, serum samples were collected and IL-1β, IL-1Ra and IL-18 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

RESULTS: Serum concentration of IL-1Ra was significantly increased in pre-colitic (median: 524 ng/L; P = 0.02) and colitic (450 ng/L; P  = 0.01), but not in healthy (196 ng/L) Gαi2-deficient mice as compared with controls (217 ng/L). Serum concentrations of IL-1β did not differ between Gαi2-deficient mice and their controls, irrespective of age, IL-18 was significantly increased in colitic, but not in pre-colitic mice compared with controls (510 ng/L vs 190 ng/L; P  = 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The increased serum concentrations of IL-18 and IL-1Ra in established diseases are suggested as markers of ongoing colitis. Interestingly, the significantly increased serum concentration of IL-1Ra in pre-colitic mice is found to be an early marker of disease progression.

Keywords: IL-1Ra, IL-18, IBD, Colitis, Mice