Heat shock protein 90 and inflammatory activity in newly onset Crohn’s disease

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate whether heat shock protein (HSP)90α plasma concentrations were associated with disease activity in patients with Crohn’s disease.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study included 53 patients who were newly diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Demographic data and disease distribution were recorded, and disease activity was rated using the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Disease (SES-CD) and the Harvey Bradshaw Index (HBI). Faecal calprotectin and plasma concentrations of CRP and HSP90α were measured.

Results: The median SES-CD was 7, and the median HSP90α level was 17.2 ng/mL. The HSP90α level was significantly correlated with SES-CD, CRP, and faecal calprotectin, but not with HBI. Linear regression analysis revealed that HSP90α was significantly associated with SES-CD (r² = 0.27, p < .001) and with CRP (r² = 0.18, p = .002). HSP90α concentrations were significantly higher in the 10 patients with the highest SES-CD scores compared to the 10 patients with the lowest SES-CD scores.

Conclusions: Objective measures of disease activity and inflammation in Crohn’s disease – SES-CD and CRP – were closely associated with HSP90α concentrations in plasma, suggesting that HSP90α may be a biomarker of Crohn’s disease.

Keywords:

• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Crohn’s disease
• heat shock protein

Acknowledgements

We thank the following physicians at the gastroenterology unit at Stavanger University Hospital for their help with patient inclusion and SES-CD assessments: Lars N. Karlsen, Svein Størset, Hans J. Jaatun, Anne Kristine Hetta, Kristian Leitao, Arne Carlsen, Olivia Slettebakk, Espen Tvedt-Gundersen, Rune Gjerde, Gudveig Eike, and Steinar Bjørkhaug. We also thank the study nurses Merethe Lie Seglem, Olaug Lyche, Anne Brit Meling, Janna Kyllingstad, Eva Jensen, and Jorunn Ree, and Head Nurse Inger Johanne Bø for their assistance and logistical help during study visits.

Disclosure statement

Tore Grimstad has served as a speaker for Ferring Pharmaceuticals, and as an advisory board member for Takeda, Janssen-Cilag and Tillotts Pharma. No other conflicts of interest were declared by the authors.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, TG, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by AbbVie and Tillotts Pharma.

This work was supported by AbbVie and Tillotts Pharma.