[Isolation and phenotypic analysis of lamina propria mononuclear cells from colonoscopic biopsy specimens]

This study was directed to the method of isolation of lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMC) from mucosal biopsy specimens and the phenotypic analysis of the cells. Ten biopsy specimens, taken individually from 8 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), 5 normal controls and 22 patients with colorectal cancer, were collected to compare the factors that influence isolation and cell yield and to analyze the lymphocyte subsets by means of two-color flow cytometry. LPMC yield averaged 10(6) with a viability of more than 95% in UC, twice the yields in other two groups. The percentages of total T, B cells in three groups were similar (P > 0.05). When the UC group was compared with the other two groups, a significantly higher proportion of CD3(+)-CD4(+)-T cell (49.98% vs 37.54% and 37.25%, P < 0.01) was noted, whereas a lower proportion of CD3(+)-CD8(+)-T cell (23.64% vs 31.52% and 31.07%, P < 0.01) was observed. These data showed that the yield and viability of LPMC isolated from biopsy specimens were good enough for a phenotypic or functional analysis, which might be helpful to mucosal immune research on gut disorders, such as UC.