Plasma elafin, cathelicidin, and α-defensins are increased in paediatric inflammatory Crohn's disease and reflect disease location

Andrzej Wędrychowicz; Przemysław Tomasik; Kinga Kowalska-Duplaga; Stanisław Pieczarkowski; Krzysztof Fyderek

doi:10.5114/aoms/138349

Plasma elafin, cathelicidin, and α-defensins are increased in paediatric inflammatory Crohn's disease and reflect disease location

Arch Med Sci. 2021 Jun 11;17(4):1114-1117. doi: 10.5114/aoms/138349. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Andrzej Wędrychowicz¹, Przemysław Tomasik², Kinga Kowalska-Duplaga¹, Stanisław Pieczarkowski¹, Krzysztof Fyderek¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Paediatrics, Gastroenterology, and Nutrition, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
² Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of our study was to assess antimicrobial peptides in children with Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: Plasma elafin, cathelicidin, and α- and β-defensins were assessed in 35 children with CD using immunoassays. Phenotype and location of CD were assessed based on the results of endoscopic and radiological studies.

Results: We found increased elafin, cathelicidin, and α-defensins in children with inflammatory phenotype as compared to stricturing and penetrating phenotypes of CD. Additionally, we found increased elafin and cathelicidin in colonic location and α-defensins in ileal CD locations.

Conclusions: Assessing antimicrobial peptides may be helpful in estimating of phenotype and location of CD lesions.

Keywords: Crohn’s disease; antimicrobial peptides; cathelicidin; elafin; α- and β-defensins.