The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of the monocyte‐derived cytokines interleukin 1β (IL‐1β), interleukin 6 (IL‐6) and tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) in idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease. Endoscopic biopsies of normal and inflamed intestinal mucosa were obtained from patients with ulcerative colitis (n = 11) and with Crohn’s disease (n = 10). Intestinal mucosal cells were isolated by collagenase digestion. Cell viability, morphology and CD14 expression were determined. To measure cell‐associated cytokine levels, cells were lysed and analysed for IL‐1β and TNF‐α in specific radioimmunoassays and for IL‐6 using a biological assay. Compared with mucosal cells from control patients without inflammatory bowel disease the inflamed intestine in ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease displayed markedly enhanced levels of IL‐1β (median 245 pg 10−6 cells, range 30–1275) and IL‐6 (median 22 U 10−6 cells, range 1–298). Non‐inflamed mucosa in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease did not shown elevated levels of IL‐1β (median 50 pg 10−6 cells, range 33–90) or IL‐6 (mean below detection limit of assay, i.e. 1 U 10−6 cells). In contrast, no clear cut difference between inflamed and non‐inflamed mucosa could be detected for TNF‐α. High tissue levels of IL‐6 were associated with a high endoscopic grade of local inflammation. These results suggest that the monocyte‐derived cytokines IL‐1β and IL‐6 are mediators of inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease.
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