Serum SCFA and Nesfatin-1 Patterns in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Pilot Exploratory Study

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Immunology
• Metabolomics

Background:

• Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are crucial for gut health and inflammation control.
• Nesfatin-1, a neuropeptide, exhibits protective effects including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions.
• The roles of SCFAs and nesfatin-1 in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and their impact on quality of life (QoL) remain largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate serum concentrations of total SCFAs and nesfatin-1 in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) compared to healthy controls (HC).
• To explore potential correlations between SCFAs, nesfatin-1, and QoL in IBD patients.
• To determine if these biomarkers differ across IBD subtypes and relate to disease status.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving adult patients with CD, UC, and HC.
• Serum total SCFAs and nesfatin-1 were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).
• Quality of life was assessed using the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ), with statistical analyses including non-parametric methods.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in serum total SCFA concentrations were found among CD, UC, and HC groups.
• Nesfatin-1 levels were lower in CD patients compared to HC, with UC patients showing intermediate levels (p=0.064).
• An inverse correlation between SCFAs and nesfatin-1 was observed in UC and the overall IBD cohort, but not in CD; QoL was impaired in both CD and UC, with no significant association with SCFA or nesfatin-1 levels.

Conclusions:

• Circulating SCFAs and nesfatin-1 exhibit distinct patterns in IBD subtypes, suggesting subtype-specific biomarker associations.
• This pilot study did not establish a relationship between these biomarkers and the quality of life in IBD patients.
• Larger, longitudinal studies are warranted to validate these preliminary findings and elucidate their clinical significance in IBD management.