Abnormal thymic stromal lymphopoietin expression in the gastrointestinal mucosa of patients with eosinophilic gastroenteritis

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.