Eosinophil granulocytes are activated during the remission phase of ulcerative colitis

Maria Lampinen ^1*, Anders Rönnblom ¹, Kawa Amin ¹, Gudjon Kristjansson ¹, Fredrik Rorsman ¹, Per Sangfelt ¹, Bengt Säfsten ¹, Michael Wagner ¹, Alkwin Wanders ², Ola Winqvist ¹ and Marie Carlson ¹

¹ Department of Medical Sciences, University Hospital of Uppsala, Sweden
² Department of Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: maria.lampinen{at}medsci.uu.se.

Accepted 7 May 2005

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to establish a method to study intestinal eosinophil and neutrophil granulocytes by flow cytometry, and to compare the distribution and activity of these cells in different stages of ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: Biopsy samples were taken from six locations of the colon and from the terminal ileum in 10 patients with active total UC, 10 with inactive total UC, 8 with active distal UC and 11 control subjects. Cell suspensions from biopsies and from peripheral blood were incubated with fluorophore-conjugated mAbs. The use of scatter plot-gating and specific antibodies was established in a flow cytometry assay.

Results: Eosinophils were more numerous and more active in patients with active UC than in controls. Interestingly, during inactive UC the number of activated eosinophils was even larger. Eosinophil activity was high in the rectum of patients with distal colitis, but was also slightly elevated in the proximal colon. Neutrophils were increased in number and activity during active but not inactive UC. In patients with distal colitis activated neutrophils were only found in the sigmoid colon and rectum.

Conclusion: With this method, we confirm that neutrophils participate in the inflammatory process during active UC, and that they express a resting phenotype during remission. The finding of activated eosinophils in inflamed intestine strengthens the view of these cells as pro- inflammatory and tissue-damaging. Nevertheless, our new finding of high eosinophil activation during inactive UC suggests that the eosinophil plays a role in repair of injured epithelium.

Keywords: IBD, eosinophil, flow cytometry, neutrophil, ulcerative colitis

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