Glutathione Transferase as a Potential Marker for Gut Epithelial Injury versus the Protective Role of Breast Milk sIgA in Infants with Rota Virus Gastroenteritis.
BACKGROUND
Secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) plays an important protective role in the recognition and clearance of enteric pathogens.


OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to assess if mucosal integrity "measured by secretory IgA (SIgA)" is a protective factor from more epithelial alteration "measured by glutathione transferase" in infants with Rota gastroenteritis and its relation to infants' feeding pattern.


METHODS
This study was conducted on 79 infants aged 6 months and less from those diagnosed as having gastroenteritis and admitted to Gastroenteritis Department in Abo El Rish Pediatric Hospital, Cairo University. Plasma glutathione s-transferases and Stool SIgA were measured using ELISA technique. Rota virus detection was done by Reverse transcriptase PCR.


RESULTS
SIgA was found to be significantly positive in exclusive breast fed infants, Glutathione transferase was significantly more frequently positive in Rota positive cases than Rota negative cases by Reverse transcriptase PCR. A significant negative correlation between Glutathione transferase and Secretory IgA was found, (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Breast feeding should be encouraged and highly recommended in the first two years of life as it provides Secretory IgA to breast fed infants who in turn protect them against epithelial damage caused by Rota viral gastroenteritis.
National Research Centre, Department of Child Health, Giza, Egypt.
Lobna S
LS
Sherif
Institute of Postgraduate Childhood Studies - Department of Medical Studies, Cairo, Egypt.
Randaa K Abdel
RK
Raouf
Kasralainy Cairo University - Pediatric, Cairo, Egypt.
Rokaya M El
RM
Sayede
National Research Centre, Medical Physiology, Cairo, Egypt.
Amany S El
AS
Wakkadd
National Research Centre, Department of Virology, Giza, Egypt.
Ashraf R
AR
Shoaib
National Research Centre, Department of Cell Biology, Giza, Egypt.
Hanan M
HM
Ali
National Research Centre, Department of Child Health, Giza, Egypt.
Amira S El
AS
Refay
Rota virus; glutathione transferase; infants; secretory IgA; viral gastroenteritis