Fecal Zonulin as a Noninvasive Biomarker of Intestinal Permeability in Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases—Correlation with Disease Activity and Fecal Calprotectin
Background: Recent data indicate that increased intestinal permeability plays a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and correlates with disease flare. Since zonulin related proteins (ZRP) are the proteins that increase permeability in the epithelial layer of the small i...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/17/3905 |
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| author | Edyta Szymanska Aldona Wierzbicka Maciej Dadalski Jaroslaw Kierkus |
| author_facet | Edyta Szymanska Aldona Wierzbicka Maciej Dadalski Jaroslaw Kierkus |
| author_sort | Edyta Szymanska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Recent data indicate that increased intestinal permeability plays a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and correlates with disease flare. Since zonulin related proteins (ZRP) are the proteins that increase permeability in the epithelial layer of the small intestine by reversibly modulating the intercellular tight junctions, they may serve as a new, noninvasive biomarker of disease activity. The aim of this study was to investigate fecal ZRP in pediatric IBD patients as well as its correlation with disease activity and fecal calprotectin (FCP). Methods: Ninety-four individuals: 47 Crohn’s disease (CD) patients, 41 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients, and 6 healthy controls were examined for fecal ZRP. Values were correlated to IBD type, disease activity for IBD patients, and FCP for all children included in the study. A stool specimen was collected the day before the visit to the hospital, then fecal ZRP and FCP were tested using the ELISA test. Non-parametric statistical tests were used for data analysis. Results: The level of fecal ZRP was higher among IBD patients compared to the control group (CG): medians for CD—113.3 (53.6–593.6) ng/mL; UC—103.6 (50.7–418.3) ng/mL; and CG—46.9 (31.8–123.0) ng/mL (<i>p</i> < 0.05). No difference in fecal ZRP concentration was observed between children with CD and those with UC (<i>p</i> = 0.55). A slight correlation between disease activity (PCDAI for CD and PUCAI for UC) and the fecal ZRP level was found for CD (<i>p</i> = 0.03/R = 0.33), but not UC (<i>p</i> = 0.62/R = 0.08), patients. A correlation between fecal ZRP and FCP was observed (R = 0.73, <i>p</i> = 0.00). Conclusions: Fecal ZRP levels are increased among those with IBD, are associated with CD activity, and strongly correlate with FCP. Further research into the role of intestinal permeability in IBD and the clinical usefulness of ZRP in IBD is warranted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:08:58Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:08:58Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-9d684b4940174a20a0e590f4e8b1a0242023-11-22T10:49:08ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832021-08-011017390510.3390/jcm10173905Fecal Zonulin as a Noninvasive Biomarker of Intestinal Permeability in Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases—Correlation with Disease Activity and Fecal CalprotectinEdyta Szymanska0Aldona Wierzbicka1Maciej Dadalski2Jaroslaw Kierkus3Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Feeding Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-761 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Biochemistry and Experimental Medicine, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-761 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Feeding Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-761 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Feeding Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-761 Warsaw, PolandBackground: Recent data indicate that increased intestinal permeability plays a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and correlates with disease flare. Since zonulin related proteins (ZRP) are the proteins that increase permeability in the epithelial layer of the small intestine by reversibly modulating the intercellular tight junctions, they may serve as a new, noninvasive biomarker of disease activity. The aim of this study was to investigate fecal ZRP in pediatric IBD patients as well as its correlation with disease activity and fecal calprotectin (FCP). Methods: Ninety-four individuals: 47 Crohn’s disease (CD) patients, 41 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients, and 6 healthy controls were examined for fecal ZRP. Values were correlated to IBD type, disease activity for IBD patients, and FCP for all children included in the study. A stool specimen was collected the day before the visit to the hospital, then fecal ZRP and FCP were tested using the ELISA test. Non-parametric statistical tests were used for data analysis. Results: The level of fecal ZRP was higher among IBD patients compared to the control group (CG): medians for CD—113.3 (53.6–593.6) ng/mL; UC—103.6 (50.7–418.3) ng/mL; and CG—46.9 (31.8–123.0) ng/mL (<i>p</i> < 0.05). No difference in fecal ZRP concentration was observed between children with CD and those with UC (<i>p</i> = 0.55). A slight correlation between disease activity (PCDAI for CD and PUCAI for UC) and the fecal ZRP level was found for CD (<i>p</i> = 0.03/R = 0.33), but not UC (<i>p</i> = 0.62/R = 0.08), patients. A correlation between fecal ZRP and FCP was observed (R = 0.73, <i>p</i> = 0.00). Conclusions: Fecal ZRP levels are increased among those with IBD, are associated with CD activity, and strongly correlate with FCP. Further research into the role of intestinal permeability in IBD and the clinical usefulness of ZRP in IBD is warranted.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/17/3905zonulininflammatory bowel diseasebiomarkers |
| spellingShingle | Edyta Szymanska Aldona Wierzbicka Maciej Dadalski Jaroslaw Kierkus Fecal Zonulin as a Noninvasive Biomarker of Intestinal Permeability in Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases—Correlation with Disease Activity and Fecal Calprotectin Journal of Clinical Medicine zonulin inflammatory bowel disease biomarkers |
| title | Fecal Zonulin as a Noninvasive Biomarker of Intestinal Permeability in Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases—Correlation with Disease Activity and Fecal Calprotectin |
| title_full | Fecal Zonulin as a Noninvasive Biomarker of Intestinal Permeability in Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases—Correlation with Disease Activity and Fecal Calprotectin |
| title_fullStr | Fecal Zonulin as a Noninvasive Biomarker of Intestinal Permeability in Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases—Correlation with Disease Activity and Fecal Calprotectin |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fecal Zonulin as a Noninvasive Biomarker of Intestinal Permeability in Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases—Correlation with Disease Activity and Fecal Calprotectin |
| title_short | Fecal Zonulin as a Noninvasive Biomarker of Intestinal Permeability in Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases—Correlation with Disease Activity and Fecal Calprotectin |
| title_sort | fecal zonulin as a noninvasive biomarker of intestinal permeability in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel diseases correlation with disease activity and fecal calprotectin |
| topic | zonulin inflammatory bowel disease biomarkers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/17/3905 |
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