The study of major histocompatibility complex class I related genes expression in colonic mucosa tissue and the correlation with ulcerative colitis

Objective To investigate the function of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)class Ⅰ-related gene (MIC) in ulcerative colitis (UC) pathogenesis. Methods The difference of MICA, M ICB and their ligand NKG2D genes expression in colonic mucosa tissue of 34 UC patients and 12 healthy people were determined by fluorescent real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the expression location of M ICA in colonic mucosa tissue was obtained by laser scanning confocal microscope. Results The mRNA level of MICA, MICB and NKG2D expression in UC groups (3. 5408±2. 6658, 8. 9879±3. 2893 and 2. 4395±0. 8147 accordingly) was significantly higher than that in the healthy controls ( 1. 0477 ± 0. 7201, 4. 6293 ± 1. 2616 and 1. 1624±0. 3954 accordingly) (P = 0.0053, 0.0039 and 0. 0078 accordingly). It suggested that MICA was expressed in colonic epithelia cell membranes by laser scanning confocal microscopy.Conclusion The mRNA level of MICA, M ICB, and their ligand, NKG2D expression were all up regulated in the colonic mucosa of UC patients, which indicated MIC gene might perform important local function in UC. Key words: Colitis, ulcerative;  Genes, MHC class Ⅰ;  NK cell lectin-like receptor subfamily k