[Study on glucocorticoid receptor alpha and beta in colonic mucosal cell of patients with ulcerative colitis].

Objective: To investigate the relationship of the expression of GRalpha and GRbeta in the colonic mucosal cell of patients with ulcerative colitis to the efficacy of glucocorticoid (GC) therapy and the intensity of inflammation.

Methods: GRalpha expression and GRbeta expression in the colonic mucosal specimens were assessed by means of immunohistochemistry. Then comparative analyses were made on the GRalpha and GRbeta expression between the GC resistant group and GC sensitive group at various levels of inflammation. A normal response group was observed for comparison.

Results: The staining intensities of both GRalpha and GRbeta in colonic mucosal specimens showed significant differences between the GC resistant group, GC sensitive group and normal response group. No association between the expression of GRalpha and GRbeta and the degree of inflammation was found.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that both GRalpha and GRbeta play an important role in the mechanism of the action of GC, and GRbeta functions as a dominant negative inhibitor of GRalpha in there. The expression of GRalpha and GRbeta in the colonic mucosal cell of patients with ulcerative colitis may serve as predictors of glucocorticoid response, but cannot be used as the markers of the severity of inflammation.