Open AccessCirculating antibodies to heat‐shock protein 60 in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
Author(s) -
STEVENS T. R. J.,
WINROW V. R.,
BLAKE D. R.,
RAMPTON D. S.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1992.tb07941.x
Subject(s) - ulcerative colitis , immunology , inflammatory bowel disease , antibody , heat shock protein , crohn's disease , colitis , medicine , antigen , intestinal permeability , disease , biology , gene , biochemistry
SUMMARY Heat‐shock proteins (HSPs) are highly conserved immunogenic intracellular molecules that are induced by inflammatory mediators and may induce autoimmune phenomena in vivo . We have recently demonstrated the increased expression of HSP‐60 in the colonocytes of patients with ulcerative colitis. To study further the role of HSP‐60 in inflammatory bowel disease, we have now measured antibodies to recombinant mycobacterial HSP‐65 (a member of the HSP‐60 family) in patients with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, healthy volunteers and, as disease controls, patients with confirmed bacterial diarrhoea. In comparison with healthy controls ( n = 20; median level of 89 ELISA units; range 24–292), serum IgA HSP‐60 antibodies were elevated in Crohn's disease ( n = 21; 157; 57–364; P <0.05) and active ulcerative colitis ( n = 16; 188; 58–373; P<0.01) but not bacterial diarrhoea ( n = 10; 106; 51–285). Increased IgA HSP‐60 antibody levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease may occur as the result of HSP release from injured gut epithelium; alternatively, increased intestinal permeability could facilitate mucosal access of luminal antigens and the generation of cross‐reactive anti‐bacterial HSP antibodies.