Cytomegalovirus in colorectal cancer and idiopathic ulcerative colitis Citomegalovírus em câncer coloretal e colite idiopática ulcerativa

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a genus in the family Herpesviridae that has been associated with gastrointestinal syndromes. In this work we looked for a possible association of CMV infection with colorectal cancer and ulcerative colitis (UC). Blood and enteric tissue samples of 14 patients with colorectal cancer and of 21 with UC were subjected to a nested-PCR that amplifies part of the gB gene of CMV and also to immunohistochemistry using a specific monoclonal antibody to IE 76kDa protein of CMV. CMV was detected by nested-PCR in the blood and/or the enteric tissue of nine (64.3%) colorectal cancer and 16 (76.2%) ulcerative colitis patients. In the immunohistochemistry it was observed that 12 (12/21, 57.1%) positive enteric tissue samples of patients with UC and none from patients with colorectal cancer (0/14) were positive to CMV. The positivity of CMV infections in the UC patient group (12/21, 57.1%) showed by both techniques, was significantly higher (p = 0.015) than that observed for colorectal cancer patients (2/14, 14.3%). These results suggest an association of ulcerative colitis with CMV infection of the enteric tissue.<br>Os Cytomegalovírus (CMV) são um gênero da família Herpesviridae, que pode estar associado a síndromes gastrointestinais. No presente trabalho buscamos uma possível associação da infecção por CMV com câncer coloretal e retocolite ulcerativa (RCU). Amostras de sangue e tecido entérico de 14 pacientes com câncer coloretal e 21 com RCU foram submetidas a uma nested-PCR que amplifica parte do gene gB do CMV e a uma imunohistoquímica utilizando um anticorpo monoclonal específico para proteína IE 76Kda de CMV. CMV foi detectado pela nested-PCR em sangue e/ou tecido entérico de 9 (64,3%) dos pacientes com câncer coloretal e 16 (76,2%) dos pacientes com RCU. Na imunohistoquímica foram observadas 12 (57,1%) amostras positivas para CMV nos pacientes com RCU e nos pacientes com câncer coloretal o CMV não foi detectado em nenhuma amostra. A positividade das infecções no grupo de pacientes com RCU (12/21, 57.1%) foi significantemente mais alta (p = 0,015) que aquela observada nos pacientes com câncer coloretal (2/14, 14.3%). Estes resultados sugerem uma associação da presença de CMV no tecido entérico com RCU

A role for intestinal mycoplasmas in the aetiology of Crohn's disease?

The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.comCrohn's disease (CD) is an inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. The cause is unknown but clinical studies indicate that luminal factors and bacteria in the gut are involved in disease aetiology, although the infective organisms that have been implicated in CD, such as atypical mycobacteria and helicobacters, do not explain the various lesions that occur throughout the digestive tract. However, there is some evidence to suggest that mycoplasmas may be associated with CD. For example, mycoplasmas have been linked to colitis in dogs, while intracellular structures similar in morphology to these organisms have been observed in epithelial cells by electron microscopy of CD tissue. Lipids such as cholesterol are required for the growth of some mycoplasmas and dietary studies where the fat content in enteral formula diets was reduced have been demonstrated to have significant therapeutic value in patients with CD. Further support for mycoplasmal involvement in CD derives from improvements in inflammatory indices following the use of antibiotics known to be effective against mycoplasma infections, such as clarithromycin, rifabutin and clofazimine.W.E.W. Roediger and G.T. Macfarlan