Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 4, 2025
Chronic Salmonella Infection Induced Intestinal Fibrosis
Published on: September 22, 2019
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CIRCULATING ZONULIN IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE
Luiz Augusto Cardoso Lacombe1,2, Camila Matiollo2,3, Julia Salvan da Rosa4
1Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Divisão de Gastroenterologia, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.
Serum zonulin levels, a marker of intestinal permeability, did not differ between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and controls. However, zonulin correlated with disease activity in ulcerative colitis (UC), suggesting its potential as a biomarker.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Immunology
- Biomarker Research
Background:
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), has increasing prevalence.
- Intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction and increased permeability are implicated in IBD pathogenesis.
- A practical tool to assess gut barrier integrity in IBD patients is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate factors associated with serum zonulin levels in IBD patients.
- To evaluate zonulin as a marker of intestinal permeability in IBD.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional observational study of 117 IBD patients and 32 healthy controls.
- Disease activity assessed using SCCAI for UC and HBI for CD.
- Serum zonulin measured by ELISA; inflammatory cytokines by Cytometric Bead Array.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in zonulin levels between IBD patients and controls, or between CD and UC.
- In IBD patients, zonulin correlated positively with age and BMI, and negatively with hemoglobin and hematocrit.
- In UC patients, zonulin correlated with BMI and SCCAI; in CD patients, it correlated with age and BMI, but not HBI.
Conclusions:
- Serum zonulin levels were comparable between IBD patients and controls, particularly in clinical remission.
- Zonulin correlated with non-disease-specific factors like sex, age, and BMI.
- Zonulin showed potential as a biomarker in IBD, especially for ulcerative colitis, correlating with clinical and laboratory parameters of disease activity.
More Related Videos
05:08A TNBS-Induced Rodent Model to Study the Pathogenic Role of Mechanical Stress in Crohn's Disease
Published on: March 1, 2022
10:37Perturbations of Circulating miRNAs in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Detected Using a Multiplexed High-throughput Gene Expression Platform
Published on: November 30, 2016
Related Concept Videos
01:17Irritable Bowel Syndrome I: Introduction
IBS is a chronic condition that can persist over a long period or recur frequently.
The pathogenesis of IBS involves a complex interplay of the following factors:
Altered...
01:27Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
01:17Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
01:22Pathophysiology of Peptic Ulcer Disease: Injurious Factors
In the antrum region, G cells secrete the gastrin hormone that binds to gastrin-cholecystokinin-B (CCK2) receptors on parietal and enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells in the fundic glands. Simultaneously, the vagus nerve releases acetylcholine, which binds...