Evaluating Ribosomal Protein L19 mRNA as a Biomarker in Ulcerative Colitis: Implications for Severity Assessment

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by immune dysregulation, genetic susceptibility, and environmental factors such as diet and psychosocial stress. The etiology of UC is complex, involving multiple interrelated factors that drive its pathogenesis and clinical progression.

This cross-sectional study investigated the potential role of ribosomal protein L19 (RPL19) mRNA in UC. A total of 40 patients with UC and 29 healthy controls (HC) were prospectively enrolled from the Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, between November 2021 and November 2023. RPL19 mRNA levels in the intestinal mucosa of UC patients were quantified using quantitative PCR analysis. Subsequently, the associations of RPL19 mRNA expression with disease severity and with the levels of key inflammatory cytokines were statistically assessed.

RPL19 mRNA expressions were significantly regulated in UC patients compared to HC. It exhibited a significant inverse correlation with the levels of both interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-4 (IL-4). Importantly, RPL19 mRNA levels also correlated with key clinical disease activity indices.

This study demonstrates that mucosal RPL19 mRNA expression levels are significantly elevated in UC patients and correlate positively with endoscopic and histological disease severity. These findings identify RPL19 as a potential biomarker for reflecting local disease activity in UC.