We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Expression of α-Defensins, CD20+ B-lymphocytes, and Intraepithelial CD3+ T-lymphocytes in the Intestinal Mucosa of Patients with Liver Cirrhosis: Emerging Mediators of Intestinal Barrier Function.
- Authors
Tsiaoussis, Georgios I.; Papaioannou, Eleni C.; Kourea, Eleni P.; Assimakopoulos, Stelios F.; Theocharis, Georgios I.; Petropoulos, Michalis; Theopistos, Vasileios I.; Diamantopoulou, Georgia G.; Lygerou, Zoi; Spiliopoulou, Iris; Thomopoulos, Konstantinos C.
- Abstract
<bold>Aim: </bold>The present study investigates the role of innate and adaptive immune system of intestinal mucosal barrier function in cirrhosis.<bold>Methods: </bold>Forty patients with decompensated (n = 40, group A), 27 with compensated cirrhosis (n = 27, group B), and 27 controls (n = 27, group C) were subjected to duodenal biopsy. Expression of α-defensins 5 and 6 at the intestinal crypts was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Serum endotoxin, intestinal T-intraepithelial, and lamina propria B-lymphocytes were quantified.<bold>Results: </bold>Cirrhotic patients presented higher endotoxin concentrations (p < 0.0001) and diminished HD5 and HD6 expression compared to healthy controls (p = 0.000287, p = 0.000314, respectively). The diminished HD5 and HD6 expressions were also apparent among the decompensated patients compared to compensated group (p = 0.025, p = 0.041, respectively). HD5 and HD6 expressions were correlated with endotoxin levels (r = -0.790, p < 0.0001, r = - 0.777, p < 0.0001, respectively). Although intraepithelial T-lymphocytes were decreased in group A compared to group C (p = 0.002), no notable alterations between groups B and C were observed. The B-lymphocytic infiltrate did not differ among the investigated groups.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>These data demonstrate that decreased expression of antimicrobial peptides may be considered as a potential pathophysiological mechanism of intestinal barrier dysfunction in liver cirrhosis, while remodeling of gut-associated lymphoid tissue as an acquired immune response to bio-pathogens remains an open field to illuminate.
- Subjects
DEFENSINS; PROTEIN expression; B cells; T cells; INTESTINAL mucosa; CIRRHOSIS of the liver; NATURAL immunity
- Publication
Digestive Diseases & Sciences, 2018, Vol 63, Issue 10, p2582
- ISSN
0163-2116
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1007/s10620-018-5146-9