Abstract
Tumor growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is an immunosuppressive cytokine and has been implicated in a variety of disease processes, including those in autoimmune disease. Tumor growth factor beta is also involved in fibrosis by regulating matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and the tissue inhibitor of MP (TIMP). The purpose of this study was to compare the expression patterns of TGF-beta1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 between autoimmune chronic pancreatitis (AIP) and alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) by immunohistochemical staining of pancreatic tissue specimens. Pancreatic tissue specimens were obtained from 16 of 57 patients who had a diagnosis of AIP at the Asan Medical Center. Pancreatic tissue specimens of ACP were obtained from 10 patients who were surgically treated. Immunohistochemical staining was performed with antibodies specific for TGF-beta1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2. The degree of immunohistochemical staining for TGF-beta1 was significantly weaker in AIP than in ACP in the pancreatic ductal epithelial and mononuclear cells (P = 0.029 and P = 0.018, respectively). This finding suggests that there may be a defect in the function of regulatory T (Treg) cells, which normally prevents autoimmune disease progression via a suppressor mechanism. Further studies are needed to identify the type of regulatory T cell involved in this process.
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