High serum vaspin concentrations in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background: Adipocytokines are associated with energy homeostasis and mediate various immune responses and inflammatory processes. Vaspin is a novel adipocytokine that is thought to exhibit anti-inflammatory effects.

Aim: We aimed to evaluate serum vaspin levels in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and determine its possible associations with the course and to clarify its intestinal localization.

Methods: Serum samples were obtained from patients with Crohn's disease (CD; n = 30) and ulcerative colitis (UC; n = 33) and from healthy volunteers (controls; n = 26). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed for all patients. Vaspin immunohistochemical staining was performed for intestines affected with IBD.

Results: Serum vaspin concentrations were significantly higher in patients with UC than in patients with CD and controls (422.9 ± 361.9 vs. 163.4 ± 116.2 vs. 147.5 ± 89.4 pg/mL, respectively; P < 0.01). There was no difference in the serum vaspin concentrations between the patients with CD and controls. There was also no difference in the serum vaspin concentrations between the patients with active IBD and those with inactive IBD. However, the serum vaspin concentrations of most patients with UC increased after remission induction. Vaspin was expressed in the adipocytes of the mesenteric adipose tissues but not in the epithelial or inflammatory cells of large intestines of the patients with IBD.

Conclusions: Serum vaspin concentrations are elevated in patients with UC and increase further after remission induction, suggesting that vaspin may aid the auxiliary diagnosis of UC and may be useful for assessing disease activity in patients.