Circulating Pv-1 As A Marker of Celiac Disease-Associated Liver Injury

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the role of endothelial PV-1 in patients with untreated celiac disease (CD)-associated liver injury. Materials & methods: PV-1 and PV-1 mRNA were measured in intestinal biopsies from untreated CD patients with elevated or normal alanine transaminase levels, controls, patients with inflammatory bowel disease and patients with toxic liver injury. Circulating PV-1 levels were also evaluated. Results: Circulating PV-1 levels were significantly increased in the serum of patients with CD-associated liver injury and reverted to normal following a gluten-free diet. Mucosal PV-1 and PV-1 mRNA were no different in patients with CD-associated liver injury. Conclusion: Serum but not mucosal PV-1 represents a marker of gluten-dependent liver injury and response to a gluten-free diet in patients with untreated CD.

Keywords:

• celiac disease
• diet
• endothelium
• gluten
• gut–vascular barrier
• plasmalemma vesicle-associated protein 1

Author contributions

S Naviglio, L De Leo, GR Corazza, A Di Sabatino, A Ventura and T Not contributed to the overall study concept and design. L De Leo, S Naviglio, D Santon and F Ziberna performed laboratory analysis and analyzed data. L De Leo and S Naviglio drafted the manuscript. L De Leo and F Giudici performed statistical analyses. E Benelli, G Stera, A Taddio, P Giuffrida and S Martelossi acquired data and critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. S Naviglio, S Martelossi, E Benelli and A Ventura cared for patients. T Not supervised the study.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was supported by the following grants: Interreg Central Europe ‘Focus in CD’ project no. CE11 and grant 4/16 from the Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS ‘Burlo Garofolo’. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

Written informed consent was obtained from patients or their parents/caregivers. The study protocol conformed to the ethical guidelines of the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki (2008 revision) and was approved by the internal institutional Independent Committee for Bioethics.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the following grants: Interreg Central Europe ‘Focus in CD’ project no. CE11 and grant 4/16 from the Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS ‘Burlo Garofolo’. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.