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SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE · MED

Fecal Calprotectin as a Marker of the Gut Immune System Activation Is Elevated in Parkinson's Disease.

Front Neurosci · 2019-09-27

DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00992PMID: 31611762

Open accessresearch-article; Journal ArticleOriginal source ↗

Research overview

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IntroductionAlpha-synucleinopathy constituting a characteristic feature of Parkinson's disease (PD) occurs at all levels of the brain-gut axis including the enteric nervous system (ENS). Lesions in the ENS may be connected with gut inflammation, increased intestinal permeability and dysmotility contributing to the pathogenesis of PD and its gastrointestinal manifestations.AimsTo evaluate fecal calprotectin and zonulin as biomarkers of gut inflammation and intestinal barrier dysfunction in PD patients.MethodsQuantitative evaluation of fecal biomarkers was performed by ELISA tests in 35 PD patients and 20 healthy controls. Additionally, patients filled out a short questionnaire concerning gastrointestinal symptoms.ResultsMedian fecal calprotectin level (μg/g) was significantly higher in PD patients compared to the controls: 54.5 (29.0-137.9) vs. 9.7 (5.2-23.3), p p ConclusionThe evaluation of fecal calprotectin level may be a useful tool to detect the signs of gut immune system activation present in a remarkable number of PD patients, also in the early stage of the disease. Calprotectin may constitute a critical link between amyloid formation and neuroinflammatory cascades serving as a prospective diagnostic and therapeutic target.

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