Mucosal Cytokine Profiles After Induction Therapy With Granulocyte/Monocyte Apheresis in New-onset Inflammatory Colitis

Granulocyte/monocyte apheresis (GMA) selectively removes circulating granulocytes and monocytes; important producers of proinflammatory cytokines. Seven children with new-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) colitis were treated with GMA together with mesalazine, and had significant decreases in Pediatric UC Activity Index (P=0.018) and Mayo endoscopic score (P=0.013). We investigated the colonic mucosal cytokine profiles (analyzed with real-time polymerase chain reaction), before and after induction treatment, and in 6 non-IBD controls. Significant decreases were seen in Colony Stimulating Factor 2 (P=0.018), tumor necrosis factor- (P=0.028), interleukin (IL)-23 (P=0.043), IL-1 (P=0.028), IL-36 (P=0.018), IL-10 (P=0.028), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (P=0.043) after treatment. In 6 non-IBD controls there were significantly lower levels of IL-12 (P=0.023) and IL-23 (P=0.046) compared to the patients with IBD at onset, and IL-22 (P=0.088) and IL-36 (P=0.062) showed lower values without reaching significant differences. We speculate that the decreases in colonic mucosal cytokine profiles after treatment may explain the observed clinical efficacy in the GMA-treated children with IBD.