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. 2022 Mar 29;11(2):23.
doi: 10.3390/antib11020023.

Specific Immunoglobulin E and G to Common Food Antigens and Increased Serum Zonulin in IBS Patients: A Single-Center Bulgarian Study

Milena Peruhova  1 , Antoaneta Mihova  2 , Iskra Altankova  2 , Tsvetelina Velikova  2
Affiliations

Specific Immunoglobulin E and G to Common Food Antigens and Increased Serum Zonulin in IBS Patients: A Single-Center Bulgarian Study

Milena Peruhova et al. Antibodies (Basel). .

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder whose pathogenesis is considered multifactorial, including abnormal gut motility, visceral hyperreactivity, psychological factors, disturbances in the brain-gut axis, leaky gut, oxidative stress, etc. We aimed to investigate serum levels of specific immunoglobulin E and G to common food antigens and zonulin and to assess their use in clinical practice for patients with IBS. Material and methods. We included 23 participants, 15 with IBS (diagnosed according to the Rome IV criteria) and 8 healthy controls. We investigated serum levels of specific IgG antibodies to 24 food antigens, specific IgE antibodies to 20 food antigens, anti-celiac antibodies, fecal calprotectin and serum zonulin by ELISA. Results. Food-specific positive IgG antibodies were significantly higher in patients with IBS than in controls (p = 0.007). IgE-mediated allergic reactions were found in five patients with IBS; no one had anti-TG antibodies. One-third of IBS patients demonstrated a low degree of chronic inflammation (positive fecal calprotectin test > 50 ng/mL) without specific bacterial infection. Serum levels of zonulin in IBS patients were higher than in healthy controls (0.378 ± 0.13 vs. 0.250 ± 0.14 ng/mL, p = 0.0315). However, no correlations between clinical symptoms and zonulin levels were found. Conclusion. The mechanisms of IgG hypersensitivity and low degree inflammation in IBS and elevated zonulin may contribute to multifactor pathogenesis in IBS.

Keywords: IgE-mediated hypersensitivity; IgG-mediated hypersensitivity; irritable bowel syndrome; leaky gut; zonulin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Positive IgG to food antigens between patients with IBS and healthy controls. Each antigen is represented by a separate symbol; the median for each group is represented.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Zonulin levels of IBS patients and healthy controls.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of positive IgG and IgE reactions against common food antigens.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Correlations of zonulin levels with IgG to egg white (A), IgG to wheat (B) and cow’s milk (C).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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