Elevated levels of serum-soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in patients with IBD do not correlate with intestinal TREM-1 mRNA expression and endoscopic disease activity.

BACKGROUND AIMS Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM 1) is a potent amplifier of pro inflammatory responses. We have previously demonstrated a substantial increase in TREM 1 expressing macrophages in the inflamed intestinal mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). TREM 1 is also produced as a soluble receptor (sTREM 1). Here we aimed to determine whether serum sTREM 1 could be used as a surrogate marker of disease activity in patients with IBD. METHODS Intestinal biopsies and concurrently collected sera from patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and Ulcerative colitis (UC) enrolled in the Swiss IBD cohort study were analyzed for intestinal TREM 1 mRNA and se…