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Tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 expression in inflammatory bowel disease

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Abstract

The etiology of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) remains enigmatic. Infiltrating intestinal macrophages are capable of producing the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). We investigated the presence of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA transcripts in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), normal, and other inflammatory intestinal specimens utilizing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). TNF-α mRNA levels did not vary between inflammatory bowel disease and control specimens. IL-1β mRNA levels were highest in active UC and noninflammatory bowel disease inflammatory specimens while IL-6 mRNA levels were highest in active IBD specimens. Infiltrating T cells, macrophages, and B cells were identified as sources of IL-6 protein in inflammatory bowel disease specimens by immunofluorescent staining. IL-6 transcripts were elevated only in active inflammatory bowel disease specimens, suggesting that IL-6-mediated immune processes are ongoing in the inflammatory mucosal environment of CD and UC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 02215, Boston, Massachusetts

    Chris Stevens MD, Gerd Walz MD, Chander Singaram MD, Mark L. Lipman MD, Bernd Zanker MD, Aldo Muggia MD, Donald Antonioli MD, Mark A. Peppercorn MD & Terry B. Strom MD

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  1. Chris Stevens MD
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  2. Gerd Walz MD
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  3. Chander Singaram MD
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  4. Mark L. Lipman MD
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  5. Bernd Zanker MD
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  6. Aldo Muggia MD
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  7. Donald Antonioli MD
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  8. Mark A. Peppercorn MD
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  9. Terry B. Strom MD
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Supported by grants from the NIH, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, Inc., Medical Research Council of Canada, and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

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Stevens, C., Walz, G., Singaram, C. et al. Tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 expression in inflammatory bowel disease. Digest Dis Sci 37, 818–826 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01300378

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01300378

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