BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that irritable bowel syndrome declines with age and is more common in women. Recent reports suggest that some diarrhoea predominant irritable bowel syndrome patients have low-grade inflammation with increased numbers of mucosal T lymphocytes, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) containing enteroendocrine cells and mast cells. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there are age or gender-related changes in mucosal T lymphocytes, mast cells or enteroendocrine cells which might explain these findings. METHODS: Forty healthy volunteers (20 subjects below 55 years of age and 20 above 55 years) free from gastro-intestinal symptoms or disease answered detailed bowel symptom questionnaires and underwent sigmoidoscopy, rectal biopsy and colonic transit measurement. Biopsies were immunostained and quantified for lamina propria and intra-epithelial T lymphocytes, mast cells and 5-HT and peptide YY enteroendocrine cells. RESULTS: There was a reduction in lamina propria T lymphocyte counts (P = 0.018), crypt intra-epithelial T lymphocytes (P = 0.014) and mast cells (P = 0.02) in the > 55 year group. Enteroendocrine cell numbers did not decline with age and were not related to colonic transit. There were no gender differences between any of the cells quantified. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphocyte and mast cell numbers decline with age in normal large bowel mucosa. Reduced numbers of mucosal inflammatory cells may influence the low-grade inflammatory response to luminal antigens and contribute to the reduction of irritable bowel syndrome observed in older subjects.
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that irritable bowel syndrome declines with age and is more common in women. Recent reports suggest that some diarrhoea predominant irritable bowel syndromepatients have low-grade inflammation with increased numbers of mucosal T lymphocytes, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) containing enteroendocrine cells and mast cells. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there are age or gender-related changes in mucosal T lymphocytes, mast cells or enteroendocrine cells which might explain these findings. METHODS: Forty healthy volunteers (20 subjects below 55 years of age and 20 above 55 years) free from gastro-intestinal symptoms or disease answered detailed bowel symptom questionnaires and underwent sigmoidoscopy, rectal biopsy and colonic transit measurement. Biopsies were immunostained and quantified for lamina propria and intra-epithelial T lymphocytes, mast cells and 5-HT and peptide YY enteroendocrine cells. RESULTS: There was a reduction in lamina propria T lymphocyte counts (P = 0.018), crypt intra-epithelial T lymphocytes (P = 0.014) and mast cells (P = 0.02) in the > 55 year group. Enteroendocrine cell numbers did not decline with age and were not related to colonic transit. There were no gender differences between any of the cells quantified. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphocyte and mast cell numbers decline with age in normal large bowel mucosa. Reduced numbers of mucosal inflammatory cells may influence the low-grade inflammatory response to luminal antigens and contribute to the reduction of irritable bowel syndrome observed in older subjects.
Authors: Mar Guilarte; Javier Santos; Inés de Torres; Carmen Alonso; María Vicario; Laura Ramos; Cristina Martínez; Francesc Casellas; Esteban Saperas; Juan Ramón Malagelada Journal: Gut Date: 2006-09-27 Impact factor: 23.059
Authors: T Piche; G Vanbiervliet; F Girard Pipau; R Dainese; X Hébuterne; P Rampal; S M Collins Journal: Can J Gastroenterol Date: 2007-11 Impact factor: 3.522