Leucocyte Migration Test with Autologous Colonic Mucosa as Antigen in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

The leucocyte migration agarose technique (LMAT) was applied in a study of the migration of peripheral leucocytes in 16 patients with ulcerative colitis using three different autologous types of tissue as antigen: rectal mucosa, skin and buccal mucosa. In all cases the migration indices were within normal limits, and they did not differ from a group of control patients suffering from peptic ulcer, irritable colon, or haemorrhoidal tumours. The present study does not support the theory of cellular hypersensitivity against colonic mucosa in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Key-words:

• Cell-mediated hypersensitivity
• leucocyte migration test
• ulcerative colitis