DUGi

Immunoinflammatory profiling of mesenteric adipose tissue: neutrophil-induced metalloproteinase 9 expression in creeping fat in Cronh’s disease

http://dugi.udg.edu/item/http:@@@@hdl.handle.net@@10256@@26329

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a complex inflammatory bowel disease influenced by genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and immune responses. Despite significant advancements in medical treatments that have improved remission rates, a substantial proportion of patients still face the reality of requiring surgical intervention in the lifetime. Additionally, a high rate of these patients will experience post-surgical recurrence of the disease, which remains a significant challenge in the management of Crohn’s disease. The chronic nature of this disease underscores the necessity for ongoing research into its pathogenesis. One area of interest is the role of creeping fat, which is hyperplasic mesenteric adipose tissue, in the progression of CD. Creeping fat is known to contribute to the aberrant immunoinflammatory responses, playing an important role in POR. This project focuses on matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), a protein related to neutrophil infiltration and degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) contributing to tissue remodelling and inflammation. But also facilitating the release of multiple molecules that amplify immune response. The study involved an analysis of tissue samples from 42 Crohn’s disease patients, 10 colorectal cancer patients, and 11 patients with obesity samples, serving as controls. Protein extraction was meticulously performed for subsequent use. The weighted distribution of the study groups and the corresponding samples ensure unbiased results. Immunofluorescence was employed to detect this protein in some tissue samples, revealing insights into MMP-9 expression patterns. Additionally, Western Blot analysis was optimized to validate the findings from immunofluorescence. Repeated trials were conducted to address initial challenges and improve data quality. Results shed light on the intricate interplay between neutrophils, MMP-9 and lipid metabolism in this disease. By highlighting the role of MMP-9, research paves a way for future studies and possible target therapy development. This study contributes into drawing a more detailed immunoinflammatory profile of creeping fat in Crohn’s disease, paving the way for future research and therapeutic advancements

3