Analysis of Neuropeptides in the Intestinal Mucus of Patients with Ulcerative Colitis Using RNA Sequencing

Inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC) originates in the colorectal mucosa. Transcriptome sequencing analysis of the colorectal mucosa allows the identification of potential neuropeptides related to local neurotransmission. The intestinal mucus lining the surface of the mucosa may harbor biomarkers of mucosal inflammation; however, this has not been sufficiently investigated, given the difficulty in obtaining human samples. We previously reported the feasibility of obtaining mucin samples for proteomic analysis by brushing during colonoscopy. Herein, we aimed to investigate the composition of the intestinal mucus and detect neuropeptides characteristic of UC.

Mucus and mucosal samples were collected from patients with UC from the colorectum in areas showing remission or active UC using a brush catheter and biopsy forceps during colonoscopy. RNA sequencing findings of mucus samples of active and remission areas were compared. RNA and protein expression levels of significantly upregulated neuropeptides were analyzed.

Of the neuropeptides associated with UC, somatostatin (SST) was significantly elevated in areas of remission, according to RNA sequencing results of mucus and expression levels in mucus RNA and proteins. Conversely, SST expression in the mucosa was increased in the inflamed areas. Flow cytometry revealed that the fluorescence intensity of SST-positive cells in the remission zone was higher in the mucus than in the mucosa.

SST expression in the mucus is considered to be an important factor associated with UC activity.