Interleukin-18 and its binding protein in patients with inflammatory bowel disease during remission and exacerbation.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are inflammatory bowel diseases with an unknown etiology. Interleukin-18 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is up-regulated in Crohn's disease. IL-18 binding protein neutralizes IL-18. The relationship of IL-18 and IL-18BP and disease activity in these diseases is not fully understood.

OBJECTIVES:

To investigate the correlation of IL-18 and IL-18BP with disease activity and other disease parameters in inflammatory bowel disease.

METHODS:

IL-18 and IL-18BP isoform a were measured in 129 patients and 10 healthy individuals. Patients' mean age was 40.5 (range 15-70 years) and 43 were women; 58 Crohn's and 28 colitis patients were in remission and 52 and 14, respectively, were in exacerbation. Twenty-three (19 and 4 respectively) were studied in both remission and exacerbation.

RESULTS:

The mean level of free IL-18 was significantly different between healthy individuals and Crohn patients, and between Crohn patients during exacerbation and remission (167 +/- 32 vs. 471 +/- 88 and 325 +/- 24 pg/ml, respectively, P < 0.05). Mean level of IL-18BP was significantly different between healthy individuals and Crohn patients, and between Crohn patients during exacerbation and remission (2.1 +/- 1.1, 7.5 +/- 4 and 5.23 +/- 2.8 ng/ml, respectively, P < 0.01). In the colitis patients, mean free IL-18 level and IL-18BP were significantly different between healthy individuals and patients, but not between disease remission and exacerbation (167 +/- 32, 492 +/- 247 and 451 +/- 69 pg/ml for IL-18, and 2.1 +/- 1.1, 7.69 +/- 4 and 6.8 +/- 7 ng/ml for IL-18BP, respectively, P= 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:

IL-18 and IL-18BP levels are higher in patients with inflammatory bowel disease compared to healthy individuals. In Crohn's disease, but not in ulcerative colitis, IL-18 (but not free IL-18) and IL-18BP levels are significantly higher during exacerbation compared to remission. This observation highlights the importance of IL-18 in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases, especially in Crohn's disease.

• Authors: Timna Naftali, Daniella Novick, Gila Gabay, Menahem Rubinstein, Ben Novis
• Journal: The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ (Isr Med Assoc J) Vol. 9 Issue 7 Pg. 504-8 (Jul 2007) ISSN: 1565-1088 [Print] Israel
• PMID: 17710779 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
• Interleukin-18
• interleukin-18 binding protein

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Case-Control Studies
• Child
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Humans
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (immunology)
• Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins (blood)
• Interleukin-18 (blood)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Remission Induction