P130 High serum lipocalin-2 expression at the diagnosis in children with ulcerative colitis: a pilot study

Abstract

Abstract Background The identification of new biomarker is a main challenge in inflammatory boweldisease. Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) is a pleiotropic mediator of various inflammatory processes. We determined the serum levels of LCN-2 in a cohort of newly diagnosed UC children, and we compared them with healthy controls. Methods Prospective cross-sectional observational study conducted at the Pediatric Gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition Unit of the Umberto I Hospital in Rome and at the IBBC – Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology – CNR in Rome. All children aged 6-18 years of age, newly diagnosed with UC at the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, Sapienza University of Rome, were consecutively enrolled. Blood withdrawal was conducted upon diagnosis. Human serum LCN-2 (Cat. No. DY1757) was measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA), according to the protocols provided by the manufacturer. Clinical, demographic, biochemical and endoscopic data were recorded. Results Thirty-two children with a new diagnosis of UC [11 (34%) female, mean age 12,7 ± 4] and 38 age- and sex-matched healthy control [21 (55%) females, mean age 11.71 ± 4] were consecutively enrolled. Serum LCN-2 levels were significantly higher in cases compared to controls (280 ± 152 ng/mL vs 66 ± 55 ng/mL), p < 0,001]. Among UC children, significantly higher LCN2 levels were measured in pancolitis (363.7± 155.2 ng/mL) compared to proctitis, left-sided and extensive colitis (184.9 ± 74.65 ng/mL; p = 0.0003). A significant inverse correlation was observed between LCN-2 and albumin levels at the diagnosis by the Spearman coefficient correlation (r = −0.455; P = 0.03) and a significant direct correlation was observed between LCN-2 and CRP values at the diagnosis (r = 0.44; p <0.05). Conclusion Serum LCN-2 levels are significantly higher in children with UC compared to the healthy control group, with the highest levels observed in children with the most extensive disease. Such results as well as and its correlation with the actual disease monitoring tool, make this protein an interesting candidate biomarker.