[Features of inflammation of the mucosa of the large intestine in nonspecific ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease].

Histological, morphometric, and immunohistochemical studies (with detection of the local production of IgA, IgM, IgG, IgE, and IgD, secretory component of IgA, and deposition of the third complement component, C3) were carried out on biopsies of the colon mucosa from 66 patients with recurrent and continuous forms of nonspecific ulcerative colitis and 16 patients with Crohn's disease. Inflammation in the colon mucosa in the diseases under study was found to be accompanied by marked activation of the local immune system, increased local production of IgA and IgM as well as IgG, particularly in those parts of the mucosa which had no glands. Local synthesis of IgE and IgD also increases indicating allergic reaction in the mucosa alongside with tissue eosinophilia. The basal membrane of the surface epithelium was found to have C3 depositions. A typical feature was the lack of correlation between infiltration of the layer proper of the mucosa and epithelium which is regarded to be a manifestation of deficiency of T-lymphocytes (subpopulation of suppressors or lymphocytes taking part in regulation of epithelium regeneration).