P177 Beta-CGRP in inflammatory bowel disease: a protective neuropeptide of the gut

Abstract

Abstract Background Experimental models indicate that beta calcitonin gene-related peptide (beta CGRP), libertated by enteric neurons, has a potential role on gastrointestinal mucosa homeostasis, but its real role is not well profiled. We measured beta-CGRP circulating levels in a cohort of subjects with a recent diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), to assess the potential role of this neuropeptide in its pathogenesis. Methods Morning serum beta-CGRP levels were measured by ELISA (CUSABIO, China) in 96 consecutive patients recently diagnosed of IBD patients (< 1 year) and compared with those belonging to 50 matched healthy controls (HC) and 50 chronic migraine (CM) patients matched by age and sex. We only allowed treatment with either steroids or mesalazine, and registered cardiovascular comorbidities, autoimmune concomitant diseases or extraintestinal manifestations. Statistical analysis was made using SPSS®. Results Beta CGRP concentrations were lower in IBD patients (3.1±1.9 pg/mL; 2.9 [2.4-3.4] pg/mL) when comparted to HC (4.7±2.6; 4.9 [4.0-5.8] pg/mL; p<0.001) and CM patients (4.6±2.6; 4.7 [3.3-6.2] pg/mL; p<0.001). Respecting IBD subtypes, beta-CGRP levels were lower in ulcerative colitis patients (3.0±1.9pg/mL; 2.5 [2.1-3.4] pg/mL) as well as Crohn’s disease patients (3.3±2.0 pg/mL; 3.2 [2.4-3.9] pg/mL) to those of HC (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively) and CM (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). Beta-CGRP levels in CM did not differ to those with HC (p=0.92). There were no significant differences when patients were classified by presence/absence of cardiovascular risk factors (yes: 3.1±1.7 pg/mL; no: 3.2±2.1 pg/mL; p=0.93); autoimmune comorbidities (yes: 3.4±1.4 pg/mL; no: 3.1±2.0 pg/mL; p=0.24); mesalazine treatment (yes: 3.1±1.9 pg/mL; no: 3.2±1.9 pg/mL; p=0.91); or steroid treatment (yes: 3.0±1.9 pg/mL; 3.2±1.9 pg/mL; p=0.52). Main characteristics and main results are exposed in table 1 and figure 1. Conclusion The reduction in serum beta-CGRP concentrations y patients with recent diagnosis of IBD, compared to two control groups, strongly supports a role for this neuropeptide in the pathophysiology of the disease since its early stages. This decrease was found in both IBD subtypes. Our data indicate a protective role of beta-CGRP in the homeostasis of the gastrointestinal tract. This study has been co-funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) through the project PI20/01358 and by Fondos Europeos de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), "Una manera de hacer Europa".