Cytoplasm of Colonic Mucosal Cells as Site of Antigen in Ulcerative Colitis

THERE IS increasing evidence that ulcerative colitis is associated with immunological disorders. Many investigators have shown that an antibody is present in the sera of patients with ulcerative colitis which reacts with extracts of the colonicmucosa. The present studies were made in an attempt to demonstrate the localization of an antigen or antigens in the colon. Material and Methods Seven adults and four children suffering from ulcerative colitis were studied. Sera from these 11 patients were collected, frozen, and stored at —12 C (10.4 F). As controls, sera from five individuals without ulcerative colitis were used. These were collected from a normal individual, a patient with Whipple's disease, one with adenocarcinoma of the colon, a patient with diverticulitis, and a patient with viral hepatitis. Colonic tissue containing the entire wall was obtained from one patient with diverticulitis, one with adenocarcinoma of colon, and one with a normal colon. The