Differential Cathelicidin Expression in Duodenal and Gastric Biopsies from Tanzanian and German Patients

Epithelial surfaces such as the gastrointestinal mucosa depend on expression of antimicrobial peptides like cathelicidin for immune defence against pathogens. The mechanisms behind mucosal cathelicidin regulation are incompletely understood. Cathelicidin expression was analysed in duodenal, antral and corpus/fundic mucosal biopsies from African and German patients. Additionally, cathelicidin expression was correlated with Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and the inflammatory status of the mucosa. High cathelicidin transcript abundance was detected in duodenal biopsies from African subjects. On the contrary, cathelicidin mRNA expression was either undetectable or very low in tissue specimens from German patients. Also, in the antrum and corpus/fundus regions of the stomach significantly higher cathelicidin transcript levels were measured in Tanzanian compared to German patients. In gastric biopsies from African patients cathelicidin expression was increased in HP positive compared to HP negative subjects. Additionally, the inflammatory status measured by IL-8 expression correlated well with the HP infection status. A higher duodenal and gastric cathelicidin expression in African (compared with European) individuals may be due to upregulation by antigenic stimulation and may confer a higher resistance against enteric infections

Narrow-band Ultraviolet B Treatment Boosts Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in Patients with Psoriasis on Oral Vitamin D Supplementation

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Expression of cathelicidin mRNA in biopsies from the stomach.

<p>(A) Biopsies from the antrum of 10 German and 27 African patients were analyzed by real-time PCR for cathelicidin mRNA expression. (B) Biopsies from the corpus and fundus of 15 German and 11 African patients were analyzed as described under (A). Levels are normalized to glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Data are expressed as ∼fold change in mRNA transcript levels relative to German subjects. Horizontal bars represent median cathelicidin expression.</p

Expression of cathelicidin mRNA in human duodenal biopsies.

<p>Duodenal biopsies from 9 German and 12 African patients were analyzed by real-time PCR for cathelicidin mRNA expression. Levels are normalized to glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Data are expressed as ∼fold change in mRNA transcript levels relative to German subjects. Horizontal bars represent median cathelicidin expression.</p

Clinical data of patients.

<p>Clinical data of patients.</p

Expression of cathelicidin mRNA, interleukin-8 (IL-8) and beta-defensin 2 (hbd2) in biopsies.

<p>From the gastric antrum (A) and corpus/fundus (B) of African and German patients. Data were correlated with helicobacter pylori (HP) infection status. Levels are normalized to glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Data are expressed as ∼fold change in mRNA transcript levels relative to German subjects. Horizontal bars represent median cathelicidin expression. Cathelicidin and hbd2 levels were significantly increased in HP positive compared with HP negative patients. The inflammatory status measured by IL-8 expression correlated well with the HP infection status.</p

Anti-TNF antibody-induced psoriasiform skin lesions in patients with inflammatory bowel disease are characterised by interferon-γ-expressing Th1 cells and IL-17A/IL-22-expressing Th17 cells and respond to anti-IL-12/IL-23 antibody treatment

Background We analysed incidence, predictors, histological features and specific treatment options of anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) antibody-induced psoriasiform skin lesions in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Design Patients with IBD were prospectively screened for anti-TNF-induced psoriasiform skin lesions. Patients were genotyped for IL23R and IL12B variants. Skin lesions were examined for infiltrating Th1 and Th17 cells. Patients with severe lesions were treated with the anti-interleukin (IL)-12/IL-23 p40 antibody ustekinumab. Results Among 434 anti-TNF-treated patients with IBD, 21 (4.8%) developed psoriasiform skin lesions. Multiple logistic regressio