Judith M Morris ¹, Sheila Dickson, Margaret Neilson, Paul Hodgins, Ewan H Forrest, Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Apr;22(4):457-60.

 GCAP is tolerated in severe alcoholic hepatitis; however, we have no evidence of survival advantage with this treatment.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19855284/

Yuji Takeda ¹, Masahiro Ohba, Masamichi Ueno, Abbi R Saniabadi, Ichiro Wakabayashi, Artif Organs. 2010 Dec;34(12):1144-9.

The generation of anaphylatoxins, particularly C5a, is important in extracorporeal circulation therapies such as granulocyte/monocyte apheresis, which activates the complement system and elevates C5a levels. However, no side effects of granulocyte/monocyte apheresis using cellulose acetate beads have been reported. To investigate the mechanism of complement activation, we prepared plasma from cellulose acetate bead-treated blood (P-CAB) and compared it with zymosan-activated plasma (ZAP). Anaphylaxis activity was measured by skin test, and the activity of carboxypeptidase, which inactivates C5a, was measured by colorimetric assay. Pro-carboxypeptidase R and neutrophil elastase concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Although C5a was generated in P-CAB, the anaphylaxis activity of P-CAB was lower than that of ZAP. Carboxypeptidase activity and pro-carboxypeptidase R levels were suppressed in P-CAB, but not in ZAP. Furthermore, neutrophil elastase levels increased in P-CAB. The decreases in carboxypeptidase activity and inactivation of anaphylatoxin were inhibited by a neutrophil elastase inhibitor. These results suggest that cellulose acetate beads initiate the activation of carboxypeptidase R via elastase release, thereby inducing the inactivation of anaphylatoxin.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20618220/

Joaquin Sanchez-Garcia ¹, Juana Serrano-López, Valle García-Sanchez, Miguel A Alvarez-Rivas, Rosario Jimenez-Moreno, Carlos Pérez-Seoane, Concepcion Herrera-Arroyo, Josefina Serrano, Juan F de Dios, Antonio Torres-Gomez, J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Dec;25(12):1869-75

The effect of GCAP in peripheral blood APC consisted mainly on a significant depletion of tumor necrosis factor-α secreting CD16-mDC. This finding could suggest a potential mechanism of GCAP beneficial effect that must be confirmed in larger series.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21091999/

Shoichi Nishise ¹, Yuji Takeda, Shoichiro Fujishima, Tomohiko Orii, Takeshi Sato, Yu Sasaki, Yuko Nishise, Hiroaki Takeda, Sumio Kawata, Ther Apher Dial. 2010 Aug 1;14(4):386-91.

Both granulocyte/monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) and ulinastatin, a serine protease inhibitor, are reported to be effective in patients with ulcerative colitis; however, combination therapy with GMA and ulinastatin has not been attempted. Investigating the effect of ulinastatin on GMA is required for combination therapy since the inhibition of serine protease suppresses the reaction of GMA. To clarify the effects of ulinastatin on GMA, we investigated whether granulocyte adsorption to cellulose acetate beads (carriers for GMA) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) release were inhibited by ulinastatin. Peripheral blood containing ulinastatin, a different serine protease inhibitor (gabexate mesilate), or signal-transduction inhibitors was incubated with cellulose acetate beads in vitro, and the ratios of adsorbed granulocytes and IL-1ra release were measured. Granulocyte adsorption and IL-1ra release were significantly suppressed with increasing gabexate mesilate concentrations; however, the adsorption was not significantly inhibited by ulinastatin. Furthermore, IL-1ra release was augmented by the addition of a high dose of ulinastatin or PD98059 as compared to a low dose. The activation levels of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase may regulate IL-1ra release induced by the carrier, because both ulinastatin and PD98059 inhibit extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase. High concentrations of ulinastatin increased IL-1ra release without inhibiting granulocyte adsorption to cellulose acetate beads. This result warrants clinical trials of a combination of ulinastatin and GMA for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20649759/

Shin-ichiro Takeda ¹, Toru Sato, Tatsuro Katsuno, Tomoo Nakagawa, Yoshiko Noguchi, Osamu Yokosuka, Yasushi Saito, Dig Dis Sci. 2010 Jul;55(7):1886-95.

We found high expressions of alpha4 integrin and CX(3)CR1 on monocytes in patients with active UC, known to promote the extravasation of CD14(+)CD16(+) monocytes into the mucosa. GMA effectively depletes CD14(+)CD16(+) monocytes and concomitantly increases CD14(hi)CD16(-)CCR2(low) “immature” monocytes; thus GMA was associated with the emergence of less inflammatory monocyte phenotype in circulation.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19908144/

K Kamikozuru ¹, K Fukunaga, S Hirota, N Hida, Y Ohda, K Yoshida, Y Yokoyama, K Tozawa, K Kawa, M Iimuro, K Nagase, A R Saniabadi, S Nakamura, H Miwa, T Matsumoto Clin Exp Immunol 2009 May;156(2):320-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2009.03904.x. Epub 2009 Mar 9.

Regulatory T cells (T(reg)) have an essential role in maintaining immune tolerance in the gut. The functional CD4(+) T(reg) express the transcription factor forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3) or a CD25(high) in humans. Further, depletion of elevated granulocytes/monocytes by extracorporeal adsorption (GMA) induces immunomodulation in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). We investigated the impact of GMA on T(reg). Thirty-one UC patients, clinical activity index (CAI) 12.1 +/- 2.97, refractory to conventional medications including intravenous corticosteroid and 13 healthy controls (HC), were included. Patients received five GMA sessions over 5 weeks. Biopsies from the rectal mucosa and blood samples at baseline and post-GMA were immunostained with anti-CD4/FoxP3 and anti-CD4/CD25 antibodies for immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Following GMA, 22 of 31 patients achieved remission (CAI <or= 4, P < 0.01) and their endoscopic activity index decreased from 10.6 +/- 2.32 to 4.75 +/- 1.48 (P = 0.003). The circulating CD4(+)CD25(high+) T(reg) level was low and increased markedly in responders (P < 0.02). In the nine non-responders, the baseline CD4(+)CD25(high+) T(reg) level was about 50% of the level in the responders (P < 0.03) or in the HC (P < 0.01), and all nine had to undergo colectomy. Conversely, the number of CD4(+)/FoxP3(+) mucosal T(reg) in GMA responders decreased significantly after the fifth GMA session compared with the baseline level (P < 0.05). It is believed that the CD4(+) T(reg) has an essential role in the control of immune pathology in UC patients and a net influx of these cells from the circulation into the mucosa may proceed to suppress inflammation. GMA can impact the circulating as well as the mucosal levels of T(reg).

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19292766/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2759481/

Takayuki Matsumoto ¹, Ken Fukunaga, Koji Kamikozuru, Katsutoshi Tozawa, Yoko Yokoyama, Takeshi Kusaka, Kunio Onishi, Hiroto Miwa, Shiro Nakamura, Transfus Med Hemother. 2008;35(1):18-23.

Although inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), is a chronic recurrent disease with unknown etiology. Recent immunological studies suggest close relation to autoimmune status featured by antibodies against colonic epithelial cells. For patients with IBD, 5-aminosalycilates are often used in case of mild disease, and corticosteroids are standard therapy for moderate-to-severe disease. However, we often encounter patients who are resistant to or dependent of conventional therapy, which are likely to lead to future problems in quality of life due to adverse effects of drugs used, especially corticosteroids. Extracorporeal leukocyte removal therapy (cytapheresis) is one of the adjunctive therapies for IBD patients refractory to steroids. By removing circulating activated leukocytes, especially granulocytes and lymphocytes, impaired immune response is suppressed. In the present article recently published studies are reviewed in order to reflect the current state of the art in the use of cytapheresis for treating IBD, especially UC and CD. Although there are only few randomized controlled trials, clinical experience so far suggests that cytapheresis has superior efficiency than conventional therapies in steroid-resistant moderate-to-severe UC. Moreover, cytapheresis features its safety characteristic compared with other conventional medications for severe UC, cytapheresis is regarded as safe treatment regimen.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21547106/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3083276/pdf/tmh0035-0018.pdf

Vladislaw Muratov ¹, Ann-Kristin Ulfgren, Marianne Engström, Kerstin Elvin, Ola Winqvist, Robert Löfberg, Joachim Lundahl, J Gastroenterol. 2008;43(4):277-82.

Downregulation of FoxP3 and TLR-2 cells in the colorectal mucosa mirrors both short-and long-term improvement in patients with active IBD responding to GCAP. This observation suggests a potential role of these cells in the pathogenesis of IBD and the induction of immunological tolerance in the mucosa.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18458843/

Suzuki, Yasuo; Yamada, Akihiro; Aoki, Hiroshi; Osamura, Aisaku; Nakamura, Kentaro; Yoshimatsu, Yasushi; Hosoe, Nobuo; Takada, Nobuo; Tsuda, Yukio; Shirai, Koji (2008). W1254 The Decreased TLR2 Expression and Elevated IL-8 Production On Peripheral Leukocytes in Patients with Active Ulcerative Colitis: the Modulation of the Leukocyte Sensitivity to Pgn By Granulocyte and Monocyte Apheresis. Gastroenterology, 134(4), A-665–. doi:10.1016/S0016-5085(08)63105-4 

BACKGROUND & AIM: Mucosal lesions of active ulcerative colitis (UC) are characterized by acute inflammatory cell (polymorphonuclear granulocyte, PMN) infiltrate and ulceration. Granulocyte and monocyte apheresis (GMA) using a column device, Adacolumn, selectively adsorbs and removes leukocytes from the peripheral blood, and has been reported to be effective in patients with active UC. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of toll like receptor 2 (TLR2) on PMNs and monocytes in patients with active UC as compared to the level in healthy subjects and see the impact of GMA on TLR2. METHODS: Fortyeight patients with active UC, Clinical Activity Index (CAI, Lichtiger index) ≥5, were included in this study. Patients received several GMA sessions (maximum 10 sessions), and CAI ≤ 3 was considered remission. Blood samples were obtained from patients at each GMA session and also from healthy subjects (n=14), after obtaining informed consent. The expression of TLR2 was investigated by flowcytometry. In several samples, IL-8 production by cultured blood upon stimulation with peptidoglycan (PGN, a ligand for TLR2) was measured (n=21). RESULTS: An average of CAI at the entry was 11.0 (n=48), and remission rate by GMA was 56.3%(27/48). At the baseline, the expression of TLR2 on PMN of patients with active UC was significantly less than the level in healthy subjects (p<0.001). Further, the improvement in CAI was accompanied by a trend towards normalization of TLR2 on PMN (up-regulation, p<0.05) together with a significant fall (P<0.01) of plasma IL-8 level. However, as for the patients with still active symptoms (CAI>5) in course of GMA therapy, the decreased TLR2 on PMN and the elevated release of IL-8 from PGN-stimulated leukocytes were kept on. By exposing blood to the column carriers In Vitro, TLR2 expression on the cell surface of PMN was decreased, but increased within the cellular of PMN. Similarly, in the blood on column outflow of GMA, the TLR2 expression on PMN and IL-8 production by PGN-stimulation were significantly decreased (TLR2:P<0.001, IL-8:P<0.001), indicating that leukocyte sensitivity to PGN is weakened by GMA column. CONCLUSION: The expression of TLR2 on PMN in patients with active UC is significantly decreased compared with remission status or healthy subjects. In connection with the decreased TLR2 expression, the IL-8 production by PGN-stimulated leukocytes is elevated in patients with active UC. These changes seem to reflect PMN activation based on UC disease activity. GMA or exposure of blood to GMA carriers is associated with down-modulation of the TLR2 expression on PMN and also leukocyte sensitivity to PGN

https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(08)63105-4/pdf

Emilio Cuadrado ¹, Marta Alonso, Maria-Dolores de Juan, Pilar Echaniz, Juan-Ignacio Arenas, World J Gastroenterol. 2008 Mar 14;14(10):1521-7.

The clinical efficacy of GMA on IBD and related extra intestinal manifestations was associated with an expansion of circulating CD4+ CD25+ Tregs and higher expression of FoxP3 in CD4+ T cells. Accordingly, an elevated CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3 may be a valuable index of remission in patients with IBD and other chronic relapsing-remitting inflammatory conditions during treatment with GMA.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18330941/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2693745/pdf/WJG-14-1521.pdf