Published online Jun 15, 1998. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v4.i3.252
Revised: May 5, 1997
Accepted: May 28, 1997
Published online: June 15, 1998
AIM: To determine the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2r) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in 25 Chinese patients with ulcerative colitis and 20 healthy controls.
METHODS: PBMC were isolated by density gradient centrifugation of heparinized blood and cultures for 24 or 48 h by stimulation with LPS or PHA. TNFα and sIL-2r were measured by ELISA method and IL-6 measured by biossay.
RESULTS: TNFα production stimulated by LPS and sIL-2r production by PHA in ulcerative colitis were significantly lower than in healthy controls (TNFα 509 (46-7244) ng/L vs 1995 (117-18950) ng/L, P < 0.05; sIL-2r 320 U/mL ± 165 U/mL vs 451 U/mL ± 247 U/mL, P < 0.05). Spontaneous TNFα and sIL-2r production were not significantly different between ulcerative colitis and controls (TNFα 304 (46-7044) ng/L vs 215 (46-4009) ng/L, P > 0.05; sIL-2r 264 U/mL ± 115 U/mL vs 236 U/mL ± 139 U/mL, P > 0.05). IL-6 production by spontaneous release from PBMC in ulcerative colitis group was 109 U/mL ± 94 U/mL vs 44 U/mL ± 39 U/mL for those in healthy controls, P < 0.01. IL-6 stimulated by LPS in ulcerative colitis group was (261 U/mL ± 80 U/mL) higher than in healthy controls (102 U/mL ± 54 U/mL, P < 0.01). No correlation of TNFα, IL-6, sIL-2r production was found to disease activity, disease location and medication.
CONCLUSION: Cytokine production from PBMC was also disturbed in Chinese patients with ulcerative colitis.