Lipocortin-1 autoantibody concentration in children with inflammatory bowel disease.
BACKGROUND
Corticosteroids are widely used to treat children with inflammatory bowel disease although the response is variable, side-effects are common, and many patients develop a partial or complete steroid resistance. The mechanism underlying these phenomena are unclear. Corticosteroids mediate some of their actions through lipocortin-1, and the induction of autoantibodies to lipocortin has been proposed as a possible mechanism by which steroid efficacy is suboptimal in vivo.


METHODS
We have measured serum lipocortin-1 antibody concentration by ELISA in 38 children with Crohn's disease, 12 with ulcerative colitis and in 15 controls.


RESULTS
IgG and IgA anti-lipocortin-1 antibody levels were higher in the Crohn's group than in the ulcerative colitis or control groups. Elevated concentrations did not relate to disease activity, history of steroid therapy or steroid-responsiveness. Lipocortin IgM antibody status was similar in all three groups.


CONCLUSIONS
It is therefore unlikely that serum antibodies to lipocortin-1 have a role in the development of steroid-resistance in children with inflammatory bowel disease.
Beattie
R M
RM
Academic department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.
Goulding
N J
NJ
Walker-Smith
J A
JA
MacDonald
T T
TT
D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017305:Annexin A1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000276:immunology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D017305:Annexin A1; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M