Increased levels of anti-glycan antibodies in patients with cystic fibrosis.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of Crohn's disease (CD) is increased in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) have been suggested as a screening tool to detect CD in CF. Recently, several new anti-glycan antibodies have been reported in CD. -


METHODS
The sera of 119 CF patients of various age groups were prospectively screened for ASCA type IgG (gASCA), anti-laminaribioside carbohydrate IgG antibodies (ALCA), anti-chitobioside carbohydrate IgA antibodies (ACCA), and anti-mannobioside carbohydrate IgG antibodies (AMCA). The frequency of these anti-glycan antibodies was then compared in patients with CD, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis and healthy volunteers. -


RESULTS
A significant number of CF patients were positive for gASCA (51.3% (41.6-60.6)) and up to three other anti-glycan antibodies concurrently. Serum levels of anti-glycan antibodies in CF and CD were not related to parameters of inflammation. Despite the well-documented difference in clinical course between male and female CF patients no gender difference of anti-glycan antibodies was found. In contrast, there was a significant positive correlation between anti-glycan markers and age in CF patients. -


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings demonstrate for the first time the increased frequency of a panel of anti-glycan antibodies in CF and provide a link between the presence of these serological biomarkers and patient's age. Anti-glycan antibody profiling may therefore become a valuable tool in the care of patients with CF.
1st Department of Internal Medicine, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany. tim.hirche@dkd-wiesbaden.de
T O
TO
Hirche
J
J
Stein
H
H
Hirche
J
J
Hausmann
T O
TO
Wagner
F
F
Behrens
Oliver
O
Schröder
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000276:immunology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D011134:Polysaccharides