CXCL16 is a surrogate marker of inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Objective. Impaired barrier function of the gut and inadequate immunological response to intestinal pathogens are the cornerstones in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). CXCL16 is a protein which shares pattern recognition receptor functions, relevant for adhesion and phagocytosis of bacterial products, with the properties of an adhesion molecule and inflammatory chemokine. The relevance of CXCL16 in IBD has so far been elusive. This objective of this study was to determine the association between CXCL16 and IBD. Material and methods. Soluble CXCL16 (sol-CXCL16) serum levels in a cohort of 239 patients with Crohn's disease were measured, 114 patients with ulcerative colitis and 144 controls. Results. In a univariate analysis, sol-CXCL16 was found to be markedly increased in patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis compared with that in controls (p < 0.001). This was significantly associated with an increase of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) (p < 0.01). In the multivariate analysis (adjusted for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), white blood cell (WBC) count, resistin and CRP) sol-CXCL16 was associated with Crohn's disease above versus below the median (OR 10.53 (3.97–27.78) p < 0.001) and ulcerative colitis (OR 3.46 (1.40–8.55) p < 0.01). Conclusion. Our findings suggest that CXCL16 may play a pro-inflammatory role in IBD, particularly Crohn's disease.

• Crohn's disease
• CXCL16
• disease activity
• inflammatory bowel disease
• ulcerative colitis