[Vitronectin in plasma and colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis]

Plasma levels and localization of vitronectin in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were investigated. Plasma vitronectin levels in patients with UC were significantly lower than those of healthy persons, in proportion to clinical activity and severity. In addition, plasma vitronectin levels at the remission phase were high when compared with those at the active phase. Vitronectins, in addition, were found in mucosa of the active phase where a lot of inflammatory cells were found by immunohistological staining. Based on the above results, vitronectins were considered to leak from blood vessel and to be consumed for mucosa recovery in the active phase of UC, and plasma vitronectin levels were lowering. Therefore, determination of plasma vitronectin levels were considered to be useful for an index of clinical activity and severity of patients with UC.