Evaluation of Th1, Th2 and immunosuppressive cytokine mRNA expression within the colonic mucosa of dogs with idiopathic lymphocytic–plasmacytic colitis

The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of the immunoregulatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-12p35, IL-12p40, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and the expression of the predominantly immunosuppressive cytokines transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and IL-10 in canine idiopathic lymphocytic–plasmacytic colitis (LPC). Semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reactions were performed using specific primers on RNA isolated from the colonic mucosa of healthy dogs, dogs with clinical signs of large intestinal disease but normal histopathology of the colon, and dogs with LPC. Canine LPC was associated with over-expression of IL-2 compared to healthy colonic mucosa (p<0.01) and the mucosa of dogs with large intestinal diarrhoea but normal histopathology (p<0.05). Higher levels of TNF-α mRNA were also seen in LPC compared to healthy mucosa (p<0.05). These results indicate that LPC is associated with activation of CD4+ T-helper lymphocytes and increased production of T-helper-1-type cytokines.