B-cell activating factor (BAFF) expression is associated with Crohn's disease and can serve as a potential prognostic indicator of disease response to Infliximab treatment.

Nikolaos-Panagiotis Andreou, Evangelia Legaki, Nikolas Dovrolis, Nikola Boyanov, Konstantinos Georgiou, Kalliopi Gkouskou, Maria Gazouli

Digestive and liver disease : official journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver 2021 May

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Several studies correlated elevated B-cell activating factor (BAFF) levels and its polymorphisms (SNPs) in patients with autoimmunity. Limited data existed regarding the role of BAFF in Crohn's Disease (CD) susceptibility and/or treatment response to infliximab. This study aims to evaluate BAFF expression in CD patients, investigate if its expression can predict response to infliximab treatment, and examine the association of BAFF SNPs with CD susceptibility. One hundred twelve CD patients and 164 healthy controls were recruited. Serum BAFF levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Participants were genotyped for rs9514828, rs1041569 and rs2893321 SNPs. Serum BAFF concentration was elevated in CD patients (472.86 ± 223.60 pg/ml) compared with controls (128.16 ± 70.10 pg/ml) before treatment. Responders to IFX treatment had increased serum BAFF levels at baseline (610.03 ± 167.55 pg/ml) compared to non-responders (267.09 ± 107 pg/ml). In responders, BAFF concentration reduced after IFX administration, while increased in non-responders. The rs1041569, TA and AA genotypes frequencies, and the minor allele A were increased significantly in CD patients, indicating an association of the SNP with CD susceptibility. Our study suggests that BAFF could be a potential biomarker of CD, while SNP rs1041569 was associated with CD susceptibility. Copyright © 2020 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Citation

Nikolaos-Panagiotis Andreou, Evangelia Legaki, Nikolas Dovrolis, Nikola Boyanov, Konstantinos Georgiou, Kalliopi Gkouskou, Maria Gazouli. B-cell activating factor (BAFF) expression is associated with Crohn's disease and can serve as a potential prognostic indicator of disease response to Infliximab treatment. Digestive and liver disease : official journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver. 2021 May;53(5):574-580