Proinflammatory cytokines in the saliva of patients with active and non-active Crohn's disease.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

 Crohn's disease (CD) involves the entire gastrointestinal tract, including the mouth. Numerous cytokines play a role in the regulation of inflammatory process in CD.

OBJECTIVES:

 The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of oral lesions in adult patients with CD and to investigate whether salivary concentrations of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) are associated with the activity and oral manifestations of CD.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

 A prospective study included 95 adult patients: 52 with active CD and 43 with inactive CD. The control group involved 45 subjects without CD. We performed blood tests, careful oral examination, and measurement of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in unstimulated whole saliva by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

RESULTS:

 IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were significantly elevated in patients with active CD. IL-1β levels were 289.8 ±52.7 in patients with active CD vs. 196.7 ±42.9 pg/ml in patients with inactive CD (P <0.039), and 196.7 ±42.9 pg/ml (P <0.01) in controls. IL-6 levels were 13.8 ±4.2 vs. 7.2 ±3.1 pg/ml (P <0.041), respectively, and 6.3 ±1.4 pg/ml (P <0.001) in controls. TNF-α levels were 32.5 ±8.7 vs. 10.2 ±6.3 pg/ml (P <0.002), respectively, and 6.8 ±2.8 pg/ml (P <0.001) in controls. We observed CD-specific oral lesions: diffuse asymptomatic buccal swelling in 12 patients (23%) and cobblestoning in 5 patients (11.3%). CD-nonspecific lesions were observed in 17 patients (32.7%) with active CD, in 11 patients (25.6%) with inactive CD, and in 6 controls (13.3%). In active CD, higher salivary IL-6 and TNF-α and serum C-reactive protein levels correlated with specific oral lesions.

CONCLUSIONS:

 In patients with active CD, salivary IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels are higher than in patients with inactive disease and controls. Elevated salivary IL-6 and TNF-α levels correlate with specific oral lesions. These cytokines may be used as markers of active CD, but the finding should be confirmed in a larger group of patients.

• Authors: Katarzyna Szczeklik, Danuta Owczarek, Jolanta Pytko-Polończyk, Barbara Kęsek, Tomasz H Mach
• Journal: Polskie Archiwum Medycyny Wewnetrznej (Pol Arch Med Wewn) Vol. 122 Issue 5 Pg. 200-8 ( 2012) Poland
• PMID: 22538761 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• Interleukin-1
• Interleukin-6
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Topics

• Adult
• Biomarkers (analysis)
• Comorbidity
• Crohn Disease (diagnosis, epidemiology, metabolism)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Humans
• Interleukin-1 (analysis)
• Interleukin-6 (analysis)
• Male
• Mouth Diseases (diagnosis, epidemiology, metabolism)
• Prevalence
• Prospective Studies
• Saliva (chemistry)
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (analysis)