Int J Colorectal Dis (2007) 22:1005–1011 DOI 10.1007/s00384-007-0298-7
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
B1a lymphocytes in ulcerative colitis Lino Polese & Giuseppe De Franchis & Marco Scarpa & Giacomo C. Sturniolo & Cesare Ruffolo & Lorenzo Norberto & Mauro Frego & Davide F. D’Amico & Imerio Angriman
Accepted: 23 February 2007 / Published online: 20 March 2007 # Springer-Verlag 2007
Abstract Background and aims B1a lymphocytes (CD5+) are the major contributors of natural antibodies (Ab) implicated in the initial protection against several infections. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of these cells in the peripheral blood of ulcerative colitis (UC) patients who underwent restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) and others who were not operated on. Materials and methods The blood concentration of CD5+ B cells was analysed by three-colour flow cytometry. Blood was collected from 38 UC patients, 20 of whom had undergone RPC and compared with the results in 18 healthy controls and in 12 familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients who had undergone RPC. We were interested in evaluating if there was any correlation between B1a blood cell concentration and ESR and CRP levels, clinical, endoscopic L. Polese : M. Scarpa : C. Ruffolo : L. Norberto : M. Frego : D. F. D’Amico : I. Angriman Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, Surgical Unit, University of Padova, Padova, Italy G. C. Sturniolo Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, Gastroenterological Unit, University of Padova, Padova, Italy G. De Franchis Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy L. Polese (*) Clinica Chirurgica 1, Policlinico Universitario, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy e-mail:
[email protected]
and histological activity, perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (pANCA) and extra-intestinal symptoms. Results B1a cell blood concentration was reduced in nonoperated UC patients (20.7±4.6/μl) with respect to that in healthy controls (71.1±18.0/μl, p1) in 12. It was limited under the splenic flexure in 11 patients and pancolic in 7. Patients who underwent restorative proctocolectomy were classified according to the pouchitis disease activity index (PDAI) [10]. Seven were diagnosed with pouchitis (score ≥7), according to the PDAI, and 13 were not (score