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Increased expression of CD146, a new marker of the endothelial junction in active inflammatory bowel disease
Nathalie Bardin1, Dominique Reumaux, Karl Geboes
1INSERM U608, Physiopathologie de l'Endothelium, Université de la Méditerranée, UFR Pharmacie, Marseille, France. bardin@pharmacie.univ-mrs.fr
Insights
Soluble CD146 (sCD146) is a new marker for endothelial junctions in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). It reflects vascular changes better than soluble CD31 (sCD31), especially in active Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Area of Science:
- Vascular biology
- Gastroenterology
- Immunology
Background:
- Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), involve vascular disturbances.
- Endothelial intercellular junctions, regulated by molecules like CD146 and CD31, are implicated in IBD vascular changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression of tissue and soluble CD146 in CD and UC patients.
- To correlate CD146 expression with disease activity and location.
- To compare soluble CD146 (sCD146) with soluble CD31 (sCD31).
Main Methods:
- Analysis of intestinal biopsies for CD146 expression in active disease.
- Measurement of serum levels of sCD146 and sCD31.
- Comparison of marker levels between IBD patients and disease states.
Main Results:
- High CD146 expression was found on endothelial cells in active CD and UC intestinal biopsies.
- Decreased sCD146 levels correlated with active disease and extensive IBD location.
- Lower sCD31 levels were observed in active, extensive ulcerative colitis but not in Crohn's disease.
Conclusions:
- Soluble CD146 (sCD146) serves as a novel marker for endothelial intercellular junctions in IBD.
- sCD146 appears to be a more effective indicator of endothelial remodeling than sCD31.
- Further research is needed to establish sCD146 as a serological assay for vascular alterations in inflamed IBD intestines.
Background:
Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), the 2 major forms of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), have been associated with disturbances in vascular physiology, including permeability and angiogenesis, that are in part regulated by the endothelial intercellular junctions. These junctions are composed of several adhesion molecules including the platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1, CD31) and the more recently described CD146 (S-Endo1 Ag, MUC18).
Aim:
To study the expression of tissue and soluble form of CD146 in patients with CD or UC in relation to disease activity and location. This study was made in comparison with the soluble form of CD31 (sCD31).
Results:
In active disease, a high expression of CD146 was observed on endothelial cells in intestinal biopsies from both CD and UC. In addition, we observed a decrease of sCD146 in relation to active disease and extensive location of CD and UC. Lower levels of sCD31 were also detected in active and extensive location of UC, but no difference could be observed in CD.
Conclusion:
sCD146 is a novel marker of the endothelial intercellular junction that reflects endothelial remodeling more effectively than soluble CD31. Further studies are warranted to determine whether sCD146 will provide a serological assay reflecting alterations in vascular permeability and vessel proliferation in the inflamed IBD intestine.
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