title: Higher Levels of Serum Zonulin May Rather Be Associated with Increased Risk of Obesity and Hyperlipidemia, Than with Gastrointestinal Symptoms or Disease Manifestations.
abstract: Zonulin is considered a biomarker of increased intestinal permeability, and elevated levels have been found in celiac disease. The primary aim of this study was to examine the association between serum zonulin levels and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, and secondarily, between zonulin levels and anthropometric and metabolic factors. The offspring (n= 363) of the participants of the Malmö Diet and Cancer cardiovascular cohort (MDC-CV) were invited to an anthropometric and clinical examination, where fasting plasma glucose levels were measured. Questionnaires about lifestyle factors and medical history were completed along with the Visual Analog Scale for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (VAS-IBS). Zonulin levels were measured in serum by ELISA. Neither GI symptoms nor GI diseases had any influence on zonulin levels. Higher zonulin levels were associated with higher waist circumference (p= 0.003), diastolic blood pressure (p= 0.003), and glucose levels (p= 0.036). Higher zonulin levels were associated with increased risk of overweight (p< 0.001), obesity (p= 0.047), and hyperlipidemia (p= 0.048). We cannot detect altered zonulin levels among individuals reporting GI symptoms or GI diseases, but higher zonulin levels are associated with higher waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, and increased risk of metabolic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Skane University Hospital, Lund University, 205 02 Malmö, Sweden. bodil.ohlsson@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Bodil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ohlsson
authors.affiliation: Genetic Epidemiology, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease, Lund University, 205 02 Malmö, Sweden. marju.orho-melander@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Marju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orho-Melander
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Skane University Hospital, Lund University, 205 02 Malmö, Sweden. peter.nilsson@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Nilsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006242:Haptoglobins; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D006242:Haptoglobins; D011498:Protein Precursors; C408043:zonulin; D002772:Cholera Toxin
keywords: blood pressure; gastrointestinal disorders; gastrointestinal symptoms; hyperlipidemia; obesity; overweight; zonulin