Journal of Gastrointestinal & Digestive System
Open Access

Abstract

Previous studies have shown some association of activin with inflammation and colitis in humans but the exact role of its subunit, Inhibin beta A (INHBA) in inflammatory bowel disease has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the expression of Inhba in colon has any relevance in IBD. A total of 32 IBD patients [Ulcerative colitis (UC) -24; Crohn?s disease (CD) -8] were enrolled. Sections were stained with an antibody against Inhba using immunohistochemistry standard protocols. Inhba staining was evaluated based on the percentage of positive cells and the intensity of staining. A non-parametric continuous data analysis was performed using log rank sum test. Of the 32 patients, 62.5% were males. Mean age was 54.7 years (26-83). Evaluation of the sections showed that INHBA was intensely expressed in normal tissues. Cytoplasmic staining was observed predominantly in the colonocytes. INHBA index scores were studied in the biopsies of normal colon and inflamed colon. The INHBA index was higher in normal colon when compared to inflamed colon in UC patients (1.56 vs. 1.34, p=0.071). Interestingly, there was minimal difference of INHBA expression between the normal colon and inflamed colon in CD patients (1.19 vs. 1.27, p=0.317). A decline for inhibin expression was observed in inflamed colonic tissues in UC compared to the normal areas of colon. Although statistically insignificant, these data suggest that INHBA expression might be more relevant for the pathogenesis of UC. Further research with a larger group of patients is warranted.

Biography

Jaya Krishna Chintanaboina has completed his M.D. and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees at the University of Buffalo/Catholic Health System and Western Kentucky University respectively. He is currently working as a key clinical faculty at the Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education in Scranton, PA. He has published about 15 manuscripts/abstracts in various Medical and Gastroenterology journals and was involved in about 20 poster presentations at national and international medical conferences. He is also a reviewer of the Southern Medical Journal.