Serotonin in the pathogenesis of lymphocytic colitis

12Citations
Citations of this article
9Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

Lymphocytic colitis (LC) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, and colonic intraepithelial lymphocytosis. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is reported to increase in certain colon diseases; however, little is known regarding its metabolism in LC. In the present work, the level of 5-HT in serum and the number of enteroendocrine cells (EECs) as well as the expression of the 5-HT rate-limiting enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1) in colonic biopsies and urine 5-hydroxyindoeoacetic acid (5-HIAA) were determined in 36 LC patients that were treated with budesonide and 32 healthy controls. The 5-HT serum and 5-HIAA urine levels were measured using ELISA, the EEC number was determined immunohistochemically, and the colonic TPH1 mRNA expression was determined using RT-PCR. The levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA and the number of EECs were higher in LC patients than in the controls, and positive correlations were observed between the 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels, 5-HT and EEC number, TPH1 mRNA and EEC number, as well as the severity of disease symptoms and 5-HIAA. Budesonide decreased the levels of 5-HT, 5-HIAA, and TPH1 expression and the number of EECs to values that did not differ from those for controls. In conclusion, the serotonin metabolism may be important for LC pathogenesis, and the urinary level of 5-HIAA may be considered as a non-invasive marker of this disease activity.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Chojnacki, C., Popławski, T., Gasiorowska, A., Chojnacki, J., & Blasiak, J. (2021). Serotonin in the pathogenesis of lymphocytic colitis. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(2), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10020285

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free