Measurement of fecal proteins in inflammatory bowel disease —Usefulness as an activity index—

Abstract

Fecal α₁-antitrypsin (α₁-AT), α₂-macroglobulin (α₂-M), lysozyme (Lz), and lactoferrin (Lf) levels were measured in 73 samples from 32patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), 52 samples from 21 patients with Crohn's disease (CD), and 41 samples from 21 healthy volunteers. A ccording to three degree of bowel activity, the UC patients were divided into 4 groups and the CD patients were diverd 2 groups. Fecal α₁-AT levels were measured by latex agglutination and the other protein parameters by ELISA. All protein levels, except α₁-AT, rose as the degree of activity increased. The fecal protein markers α₂-M, LZ, and Lf had significantly higher positive rates than the serum inflammatory markers and activity index in the moderate and severe UC gruops, and α₂-M and Lf had significantly higher rates in the CD (+) group. Based on these findings measureament of fecal levels on α₂-M, Lz, and Lf appeare to be useful activity markers for UC, and α₂-M and Lf for CD.