Abstract
Objective:
To investigate the differential expression of the thymic stromal lymphopoietin isoforms, short and long, and discern their biological implications under eosinophilic gastroenteritis.
Methods:
The expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin and its two isoforms in tissues was assessed by quantitative RT-PCR in healthy controls (n = 24) and patients with eosinophilic gastroenteritis (n = 17).
Results:
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin mRNA was significantly reduced in eosinophilic gastroenteritis when compared with healthy controls (p < 0.0001). A significantly lower amount of short thymic stromal lymphopoietin mRNA was observed in eosinophilic gastroenteritis when compared with controls (p < 0.05), while a significantly higher amount of long thymic stromal lymphopoietin mRNA was observed in eosinophilic gastroenteritis when compared with controls (p < 0.05). Peak eosinophilic count is significantly positively correlated with the expression of long thymic stromal lymphopoietin mRNA in the gastrointestinal mucosal of patients with eosinophilic gastroenteritis (r s = 0.623, p < 0.005), while peak eosinophilic count is significantly negatively correlated with the expression of short thymic stromal lymphopoietin mRNA in the gastrointestinal mucosal of patients with eosinophilic gastroenteritis (r s = −0.4474, p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Abnormal mucosal thymic stromal lymphopoietin expression may contribute to gastrointestinal mucosa damage in eosinophilic gastroenteritis.
KEYWORDS
Eosinophilic gastroenteritis; Isoforms; Long thymic stromal lymphopoietin; Short thymic stromal lymphopoietin; Thymic stromal lymphopoietin
