Biomedical subjects

T Matsuda

Publications and source records attributed to T Matsuda.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMed2001

Thermoresponsive artificial extracellular matrix for tissue engineering: hyaluronic acid bioconjugated with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) grafts.

Thermoresponsive hyaluronans (HAs) were prepared by graft polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) on HA (number-averaged molecular weight, Ma, ca. 1.5 x 10(5) and 5.0 x 10(5)) using dithiocarbamate which is a kind of iniferter (initiator, transfer agent and terminator). The degree of dithiocarbamylation (DD) as an iniferter ranged from 0.4 to 11.4% per disaccharide unit of HA. The estimated Mn of the grafted polyNIPAM (PNIPAM) ranged from approximately 5.0 x 10(3) to 8.4 x 10(4). The PNIPAM-grafted HAs (PNIPAM-HAs) were water-soluble at room temperature, while they precipitated at temperatures above approximately 34 degrees C in water. The temperature at the onset of precipitation (lower critical solution temperature: LCST) was independent of parameters of molecular architecture such as Mn of HA, degree of grafting of PNIPAM, and Mn of PNIPAM. Equilibrium transmittance of the aqueous solution above LCST decreased with an increase in both degree of grafting and Mn of PNIPAM. At physiological temperature, the PNIPAM-HA film cast from a cold solution was very wettable with water. A markedly reduced adhesion of endothelial cells to the film was observed, indicating that the PNIPAM-HA film may serve as a non-cell-adhesive matrix. Scanning electron microscopic observation appeared to differentiate supramolecular structures between rapidly freeze-dried PNIPAM-HA and nongrafted HA:PNIPAM-HA exhibited a nonuniform fibrous network, whereas the morphology of which is markedly different from that of a nongrafted HA gel exhibited a mixture of sharp needle- and platelike structures.

Acrylic Resins↗

PubMed2001

Terminally alkylated heparin. 1. Antithrombogenic surface modifier.

Terminally alkylated heparin was prepared by reducing the terminal end of heparin and subsequent lactone formation, followed by ring-opening reaction with alkylamine. The alkyl groups used include butyl, octyl, lauryl, and stearyl. These alkylated heparins adsorbed on the poly(ethylene terephthalate) film from their respective aqueous solutions. The adsorptivity and its stability in buffer solution, complexation compatibility with antithrombin III (ATIII), were enhanced with larger alkyl-group-derivatized heparins. These were assessed using a confocal laser scanning microscope. The "heparin surfactant" developed here may be used for ensured short-term "system antithrombogenicity" of assembled extracorporeal circulatory devices or circuits.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2001

Terminally alkylated heparin. 2. Potent antiproliferative agent for vascular smooth muscle cells.

The antiproliferative activity of alkylated heparin, in which the terminal end of heparin is derivatized with an alkyl group (butyl, octyl, lauryl, stearyl), was examined using vascular smooth muscle cells. The proliferation of cells, which were growth-arrested prior to addition of heparin, was inhibited in proportion to both increase in the chain length of the alkyl group of alkylated heparin and alkylated heparin concentration in the serum-containing medium. The antiproliferative activity of stearyl group derivatized heparin was significantly stronger than that of nonmodified heparin. Little proliferation was observed at high dose (500 microg/mL). Confocal laser scanning microscopic observation indicated that alkylated heparin was accumulated on the cell membranes at an early incubation time, followed by homogeneous distribution of intracellular space. The therapeutic potential of alkylated heparin for preventing restenosis after balloon angioplasty is discussed.

Alkylation↗

PubMed2001

Decrease in antigenic and allergenic potentials of ovomucoid by heating in the presence of wheat flour: dependence on wheat variety and intermolecular disulfide bridges.

The antigenic and allergenic activities of ovomucoid (OM) remaining in soluble fractions of pasta-like model samples of wheat flour mixed with egg white were investigated by ELISA competitive inhibition and immunoblotting analyses using a rabbit anti-OM IgG and the serum IgE specific for OM in patients allergic to egg white. The mixture of egg white and wheat flour of soft, hard, and durum varieties was kneaded for 10-50 min and benched for 1 h at RT, and then small pieces of the dough were heated in boiling 1% NaCl solution for 15 min. Even before heating, only after the kneading for 30 min or more, but not after kneading for only 20 min, followed by the benching, the antigenic activity of OM which remained in the phosphate-buffered saline extract from the dough markedly decreased. Almost no antigenic activity of OM was detected in the extracts of heated samples. Furthermore, in the extracts of heated durum samples, only a trace of or almost no IgE-reactive OM was detected against the five patients' sera. These reductive effects of wheat on the OM antigenicity and allergenicity were more remarkable in the durum variety than in the others. No detectable proteins were extracted with 1% SDS from the heated samples, whereas OM was extracted with 1% SDS containing 10% 2-mercaptoethanol, suggesting heat-induced polymerization through intermolecular disulfide bonds among OM and wheat.

Allergens↗

PubMed2001

Somatic mutation hotspots correlate with DNA polymerase eta error spectrum.

Mutational spectra analysis of 15 immunoglobulin genes suggested that consensus motifs RGYW and WA were universal descriptors of somatic hypermutation. Highly mutable sites, "hotspots", that matched WA were preferentially found in one DNA strand and RGYW hotspots were found in both strands. Analysis of base-substitution hotspots in DNA polymerase error spectra showed that 33 of 36 hotspots in the human polymerase eta spectrum conformed to the WA consensus. This and four other characteristics of polymerase eta substitution specificity suggest that errors introduced by this enzyme during synthesis of the nontranscribed DNA strand in variable regions may contribute to strand-specific somatic hypermutagenesis of immunoglobulin genes at A-T base pairs.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

PubMed2001

Ibudilast attenuates astrocyte apoptosis via cyclic GMP signalling pathway in an in vitro reperfusion model.

We examined the effect of 3-isobutyryl-2-isopropylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine (ibudilast), which has been clinically used for bronchial asthma and cerebrovascular disorders, on cell viability induced in a model of reperfusion injury. Ibudilast at 10 - 100 microM significantly attenuated the H(2)O(2)-induced decrease in cell viability. Ibudilast inhibited the H(2)O(2)-induced cytochrome c release, caspase-3 activation, DNA ladder formation and nuclear condensation, suggesting its anti-apoptotic effect. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors such as theophylline, pentoxyfylline, vinpocetine, dipyridamole and zaprinast, which increased the guanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP) level, and dibutyryl cyclic GMP attenuated the H(2)O(2)-induced injury in astrocytes. Ibudilast increased the cyclic GMP level in astrocytes. The cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor KT5823 blocked the protective effects of ibudilast and dipyridamole on the H(2)O(2)-induced decrease in cell viability, while the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor KT5720, the cyclic AMP antagonist Rp-cyclic AMPS, the mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor PD98059 and the leukotriene D(4) antagonist LY 171883 did not. KT5823 also blocked the effect of ibudilast on the H(2)O(2)-induced cytochrome c release and caspase-3-like protease activation. These findings suggest that ibudilast prevents the H(2)O(2)-induced delayed apoptosis of astrocytes via a cyclic GMP, but not cyclic AMP, signalling pathway.

Alkaloids↗

PubMed2001

Cold lability of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes and the effective preparation of reference material for clinical laboratory use.

To evaluate the storage of samples and enzyme reference materials, and to improve the commutability for inter-laboratory surveillance of activity values of lactate dehydrogenase (LD; EC 1.1.1.27) in clinical laboratory medicine and in animal veterinary medicine, we studied the electrophoretic patterns and cold lability of LD isoenzymes from tissue sources of some common vertebrate species and also from human serum sources. Among many isoenzymes from these sources, only rat LD fractions showed similar electrophoretic patterns to those of human sera, and rat LD-1 fraction was relatively cold-stable. Total LD and isoenzyme LD-1 activities in routine laboratory samples and quality-control sera were measured using eight kinds of commercially available LD assay kit, including lactate and pyruvate substrate systems. Coefficients of variation between these assay kits were markedly reduced when the activities were calculated using the partially purified rat LD-1 fraction as an enzyme reference material, compared with the activities calculated using the factor indicated in each assay kit. In the regression analysis, the intercept and slope were calculated for the regression equations obtained from 12 pairs of these assay kits. The values obtained from a small amount of human serum and control serum samples were within the 95% confidence regions of those from larger amounts of human serum samples by using the present rat LD-1 standard for measuring LD-1 activities with lactate substrate. It was evident that a cold-stable and homogeneous LD isoenzyme as an enzyme reference material might contribute to accurate measurement of activities in heterogeneous samples for inter-laboratory quality-assurance surveys in both human and animal clinical laboratory use.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Two auto-detection methods for eye movements during eyes closed.

Eye movements during closed eyes closely reflect changes of the arousal level during transition from wakefulness to sleep. Because they contain both rapid and slow eye movements (REM and SEM), it has been difficult to detect them automatically. Hiroshige recently developed the method of linear regression analysis for automatic detection of the two types of eye movements, and we have developed a template matching method for autodetection. The aim of the present study was to compare both auto-detection methods and visual scoring for REM and SEM. The results revealed high agreement between the two quantitative methods and the visual scoring, indicating that auto-detection of eye movements is useful for quantitative evaluation of arousal level.

Arousal↗

PubMed2001

Cytokine-modulated inhibition of neutrophil apoptosis at local site augments exudative neutrophil functions and reflects inflammatory response after surgery.

BACKGROUND: The fate of exudative polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) at the local site after surgery is not well understood. We evaluated the fate and functions of exudative PMNs at the local site in patients who were undergoing major surgery. We also investigated the relation between PMN apoptosis and cytokine levels at the local site during the postoperative period. METHODS: Exudative PMNs were isolated from 11 patients during the postoperative period. Apoptosis, reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) production, CD16, and tumor necrosis factor receptor expression of the PMNs were determined by flow cytometry. Cytokine levels in the drainage fluid were measured. RESULTS: Exudative PMN apoptosis was markedly inhibited on postoperative day 1 and then increased in a time-dependent manner. IL-6 and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor were significant factors to inhibit exudative PMN apoptosis; tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL-10 were the factors to increase apoptosis. ROI production and CD16 expression of exudative PMNs were augmented when PMN apoptosis was inhibited in the early postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: Exudative PMN apoptosis was inhibited after surgery; PMN function was augmented after surgery. Cytokines at the local site may modulate exudative PMN apoptosis. Exudative PMN apoptosis reflected the inflammatory response after surgery. Understanding the mechanisms of PMN apoptosis and its pathophysiologic significance at local inflammatory sites in vivo may help in the design of more rational treatments.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

OGG1 protein suppresses G:C-->T:A mutation in a shuttle vector containing 8-hydroxyguanine in human cells.

8-Hydroxyguanine (8-OHG) is an oxidatively damaged mutagenic base which causes G:C-->T:A transversions in DNA. OGG1 was cloned as a human gene encoding a DNA glycosylase that specifically excises 8-OHG from DNA in vitro. However, it was not clear whether OGG1 protein suppresses G:C-->T:A transversions caused by 8-OHG in human cells in vivo. In the present study we have examined the ability of OGG1 protein to suppress G:C-->T:A transversions caused by 8-OHG in human cells by bacterial suppressor tRNA (supF) forward mutation assay using a shuttle vector DNA, pMY189. Introduction of a single 8-OHG residue at position 159 of the supF gene in plasmid pMY189 resulted in a 130-fold increase in mutation frequency compared with untreated plasmid pMY189 after replication in the NCI-H1299 human lung cancer cell line. G:C-->T:A transversions at position 159 were detected in >90% of the supF mutants from the 8-OHG-containing plasmid. The mutation frequency of the 8-OHG-containing plasmid was significantly reduced by overexpression of OGG1 protein in NCI-H1299 cells and, in particular, the occurrence of G:C-->T:A transversion at position 159 in the supF gene was suppressed. Furthermore, frequencies and spectra of mutations of the untreated pMY189 plasmid did not differ significantly with overexpression of OGG1 protein. These results indicate that OGG1 protein has the ability to suppress G:C-->T:A transversions caused by 8-OHG in human cells in vivo.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2001

Molecular cloning of a unique CMP-sialic acid synthetase that effectively utilizes both deaminoneuraminic acid (KDN) and N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) as substrates.

2-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-nononic acid (KDN) is a sialic acid (Sia) that is ubiquitously expressed in vertebrates during normal development and tumorigenesis. Its expression is thought to be regulated by multiple biosynthetic steps catalyzed by several enzymes, including CMP-Sia synthetase. Using crude enzyme preparations, it was shown that mammalian CMP-Sia synthetases had very low activity to synthesize CMP-KDN from KDN and CTP, and the corresponding enzyme from rainbow trout testis had high activity to synthesize both CMP-KDN and CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) (Terada et al. [1993] J. Biol. Chem., 268, 2640-2648). To demonstrate if the unique substrate specificity found in the crude trout enzyme is conveyed by a single enzyme, cDNA cloning of trout CMP-Sia synthetase was carried out by PCR-based strategy. The trout enzyme was shown to consist of 432 amino acids with two potential nuclear localization signals, and the cDNA sequence displayed 53.8% identity to that of the murine enzyme. Based on the Vmax/Km values, the recombinant trout enzyme had high activity toward both KDN and Neu5Ac (1.1 versus 0.68 min(-1)). In contrast, the recombinant murine enzyme had 15 times lower activity toward KDN than Neu5Ac (0.23 versus 3.5 min(-1)). Northern blot analysis suggested that several sizes of the mRNA are expressed in testis, ovary, and liver in a tissue-specific manner. These results indicate that at least one cloned enzyme has the ability to utilize both KDN and Neu5Ac as substrates efficiently and is useful for the production of CMP-KDN.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2001

A growing family of dual specificity phosphatases with low molecular masses.

Five putative dual specificity protein phosphatases (DSPs), designated LMW-DSP1, -DSP4, -DSP6, -DSP10, and -DSP11, were cloned with a combination of RT-PCR and cDNA library screening strategies. Sequencing analysis revealed that all lacked the cdc25 homology domain that is conserved in most known DSPs/MAP kinase phosphatases (MKPs). LMW-DSP1 exhibited the highest similarity to plant DSPs. LMW-DSP4 exhibited the highest similarity to human YVH1 and rat GKAP, but its C-terminal region was much shorter than that of the human and rat clones. LMW-DSP6 was found to be identical to recently cloned TMDP, and LMW-DSP11 seemed to be a mouse ortholog of human VHR. LMW-DSP10 was found to have a DSP catalytic-like domain, but the critical cysteine residue for catalytic activity was missing. Recombinant LMW-DSP1, -DSP6, and -DSP11 exhibited obvious and strong activity against an artificial low molecular substrate, para-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP). Recombinant LMW-DSP4 exhibited slight but significant activity, whereas no activity was detected for LMW-DSP10. The phosphatase activity of the recombinant LMW-DSPs was inhibited by orthovanadate but not sodium fluoride. However, none of the DSPs could dephosphorylate MAP kinases such as ERK1, p38, and SAPK/JNK in transiently transfected COS7 cells under the conditions used. Northern blot analysis revealed that LMW-DSP1, -DSP6, -DSP10, and -DSP11 were specifically expressed in testis, while LMW-DSP4 was broadly expressed. The testis-specific expression and apparent absence of dephosphorylation action on MAP kinases suggest that LMW-DSP1, -DSP6, -DSP10, and -DSP11 play specific roles in testis. Taken together, it is conceivable that a distinct class of low molecular mass DSPs is present and plays a role in dephosphorylating unknown molecules other than MAP kinases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2001

Effects of testosterone on production of perivitelline membrane glycoprotein ZPC by granulosa cells of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).

Avian perivitelline membrane, an investment homologous to the zona pellucida of mammalian oocytes, is composed of at least two glycoproteins. Previous studies have indicated that one of the components, a glycoprotein homologous to mammalian ZPC, is produced and secreted by the granulosa cells of developing follicles of the chicken ovary. In the present study, we evaluated the expression and regulation of ZPC in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) granulosa cells both in vivo and in vitro. Western blot analysis of the SDS-solubilized granulosa layer using anti-quail ZPC antiserum showed that the amount of ZPC increased in parallel with follicular development. Northern blot analysis of total RNA using cDNA of quail ZPC showed that the increase in mRNA expression was also correlated with follicular development. To investigate the regulation of ZPC production, the granulosa cells were cultured in a medium containing steroid hormones such as progesterone, estradiol-17ss, or testosterone. By measuring ZPC protein and mRNA with Western and Northern blot analyses, respectively, we found that addition of testosterone maintained ZPC contents in the culture of the granulosa cells, and that ZPC mRNA expression was high in the culture with testosterone compared to the control. These results suggest that testosterone stimulates ZPC protein production at the gene transcription level.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Morphological and biochemical changes of isolated chicken egg-envelope during sperm penetration: degradation of the 97-kilodalton glycoprotein is involved in sperm-driven hole formation on the egg-envelope.

The chicken egg-envelope is made of two major glycoprotein components, which are designated as gp97 and gp42 (after their molecular masses). To elucidate how these two components are involved in macromolecular organization of the chicken egg-envelope, the isolated egg-envelope was characterized by immunochemical and biochemical methods. The gp97 was suggested to be a homologue of mouse ZPB based on the similarities of N-terminal and internal sequences. Immunoblotting using anti-gp97 monoclonal antibodies and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with or without mercaptoethanol treatment revealed that gp97 formed a homodimer through disulfide bonds, whereas gp42 did not. Under indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, the anti-gp97 antibody visualized indistinct, small spots on the egg-envelope, whereas the anti-gp42 antibody showed a meshwork of blurry, fibrous structures. The hole formation on the egg-envelope by in vitro sperm penetration was completely inhibited by two anti-gp97 monoclonal antibodies. Interestingly, the anti-gp97 monoclonal antibodies blocked the proteolysis not only of gp97 but also of gp42 during incubation of the egg-envelope with either sperm or the crude chicken acrosin. Taken together, these results indicate that gp97 may play pivotal roles not only in constitution of the macromolecular organization of the egg-envelope but also in triggering hydrolysis of the egg-envelope during sperm penetration.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2001

Ex vivo fluorescence microscopy provides simple and accurate assessment of neutrophil-endothelial adhesion in the rat lung.

Neutrophil adhesion to the pulmonary endothelium is prerequisite to neutrophil transmigration and activation, both of which may lead to lung injury. A simple method to evaluate neutrophil adherence in the lung would be useful for developing new strategies for neutrophil-mediated lung injury. The purpose was to establish a simple method to evaluate neutrophil adhesion in the lung using ex vivo fluorescence microscopy. Rats were anesthetized, and the right jugular veins were catheterized. Neutrophils were isolated from another set of rats and labeled with 5,(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate. Animals were killed 120 s after a 1 x 10(6) labeled neutrophil injection. The pulmonary labeled neutrophil number was counted under a fluorescence microscope. In the first experiment, rats were given 0, 20, 200, or 2000 microg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) i.p. At 4 h after challenge, the pulmonary labeled neutrophil number was determined. Kinetic studies were also performed at 0, 1, 4, and 8 h after 200 microg/kg LPS. Finally, anti-ICAM-1 Ab was injected i.v. before LPS 200 microg/kg, and the labeled neutrophil number in the lung was determined at 4 h. The number of pulmonary labeled neutrophils was higher after LPS 200 or 2000 microg/kg than after the other doses. The pulmonary labeled neutrophil number was increased at 4 h compared with the other time points. ICAM-1 blocking normalized the pulmonary labeled neutrophil number in the LPS group. In conclusion, our method seems to reflect ICAM-1-mediated neutrophil adherence to the endothelium in the present setting. This simple technique may be useful for evaluating neutrophil adhesion.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Liver abscesses associated with stromal tumour of the stomach in a young woman.

A 23-year-old Japanese woman was admitted to hospital because of pyrexia and anaemia. She was found to have liver abscesses and a gastric submucosal mass by computed tomography and ultrasonography. Gastroscopy and a barium swallow revealed a round submucosal mass with a giant ulceration in the body of the stomach. The liver abscesses were successfully treated by percutaneous transhepatic drainage and intravenous administration of antibiotics. Cultures of the fluid from a liver abscess and gastric juice yielded alpha-haemolytic streptococci. Three weeks after the drainage, partial gastrectomy was performed. The tumour was diagnosed as a stromal tumour of the stomach (leiomyosarcoma) in the final histological report. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 17 without receiving adjuvant radio-chemotherapy. There have been no signs of recurrence two years after surgery. This is a rare case of a liver abscess associated with a stromal tumour of the stomach in a young patient. The bacteriological examinations suggested a possible association between these diseases.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Increased apoptosis associated with depressed type of early intestinal gastric cancer.

Early gastric cancer can be macroscopically classified into elevated and depressed types. To clarify the relationship between macroscopic appearance of early gastric cancer and apoptosis or cell proliferation, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue specimens of 44 intestinal-type early gastric cancers were investigated by the TUNEL method and immunohistochemical techniques. Diffuse type was excluded in this study. When tissue sections of gastric cancer were vertically classified into the 3 compartments of luminar, intermediate and basal, the apoptosis index (%) was significantly higher in the basal compartment of depressed type (1.76 +/- 2.04, mean +/- SD) than in the basal compartment of elevated type (0.63 +/- 0.81, P = 0.01). In depressed type, the apoptosis index (%) was significantly higher in the basal compartment than in the luminar compartment (0.76 +/- 0.85, P = 0.03). Apoptosis-inducing protein, Bax, was expressed more in each of the compartments of depressed type than in those of elevated type, while there were no significant differences in expression of anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, between the two types. Moreover, the apoptosis index (%) of Bax-positive gastric cancer was significantly higher in the basal compartment (P = 0.03), compared to that of Bax-negative gastric cancer, while there were no significant differences in apoptosis index (%) in any compartment between Bcl-2-positive and Bcl-2-negative gastric cancers. There were no significant differences in Ki-67 expression, either between the two types, or among the compartments of depressed type. These results indicate that increased apoptosis with excessive expression of Bax in the basal compartment is involved in the morphogenesis of the depressed type in intestinal-type early gastric cancer.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

Serum angiotensin I-converting enzyme is reduced in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis irrespective of genotype.

OBJECTIVES: Crohn's disease (CD) is recognized to be a vascular endothelial-associated disease. Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) exists mainly in endothelial cells. There are some reports on serum ACE levels in patients with CD, but the ACE level is still controversial. Recently, genetic control of serum ACE levels by ACE gene polymorphisms (classified as II, ID, and DD) has been suggested. Although we must consider such polymorphisms to elucidate ACE levels in patients with CD, there is no report about this. METHODS: We studied 341 healthy controls (male/female = 178/162), 39 patients with CD (31/8), 43 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) (22/21) and 19 patients with infectious enterocolitis (8/11). The polymorphism in intron 16 of the ACE gene was examined by PCR. Serum ACE levels were measured by the method of Kasahara. RESULTS: Serum ACE levels in patients with CD and UC were significantly lower than in healthy controls, irrespective of the genotype of ACE (genotype II: CD 7.0+/-2.5 [mean +/- SD], UC 7.1+/-3.3, controls 11.8+/-2.9, genotype ID: CD 9.7+/-4.1, UC 11.4+/-4.6, controls 15.2+/-3.6, genotype DD: CD 13.9+/-5.8, UC 10.7+/-3.6, controls 19.3+/-3.9 IU/L, controls vs CD, UC; p < 0.01, 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in serum ACE levels between CD and UC. CONCLUSIONS: Considering ACE gene polymorphism, serum ACE levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease are lower than in controls. Serum ACE levels reflect a part of the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.

Adult↗