| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000)
Fiscal Year 1996: ¥1,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000)
Fiscal Year 1995: ¥1,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000)
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| Research Abstract |
The urinary excretion rates of nitrate (NO_3) and nitrite (NO_2) were monitored in 14 patients with active ulcerative colitis during treatment using hydrocortisone and sulfasalazine. During the active phase of the disease, the NO_3 excretion was significantly higher in the patients than in healthy controls, although it varied considerably among the patients. During the healing phase, the NO_3 excretion decreased concurrently with improvement of symptoms and colorectal ulceration, but the NO_2 excretion increased. During the inactive phase of the disease, the NO_3 and NO_2 excretions were significantly lower than during the active phase, and the NO_2/NO_3 ratio resembled that in the healthy controls. In contrast, a patient who failed to respond to treatment showed continuously high NO_3 and NO_2 excretion rates. Serum interleukin-3 which is secreted by T lymphocytes, was detected in 60% of patients with active disease. Further, we found that DNA from serum of patients with active disease showed ladder formation by electrophoresis. These evidences suggest that activated immune system and free radicals by cytokines cause apoptosis of epithelial cells in inflamed mucosa.
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