ESPE Abstracts (2014) 82 P-D-1-2-157

ESPE2014 Poster Presentations Growth (1) (12 abstracts)

Autoantibodies Against Some Selected Appetite-Regulating Peptide Hormones and Neuropeptides are Present in Serum of Short Children with Candida Albicans Colonisation and Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Renata Stawerska a , Elżbieta Czkwianianc b , Agnieszka Matusiak c , Joanna Smyczyńska a , Sylwia Prymus-Kasińska b , Maciej Hilczer a, , Magdalena Chmiela c & Andrzej Lewiński a,


aDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital – Research Instiute, Lodz, Poland; bDepartment of Pediatrics and Gastroenterology, Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital – Research Institute, Lodz, Poland; cDepartment of Immunology and Infectious Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection Univeristy of Lodz, Lodz, Poland; dDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland


Background: Peptide hormones synthesized in gastrointestinal tract (GI) and adipose tissues, in addition to neuropeptides, regulate growth and body weight in children. The GI microflora (i.e. Candida albicans – CA and Helicobacter pylori – HP) is an antigenic source. Based on the molecular mimicry hypothesis, intestinal microbe-derived antigens may trigger the production of autoantibodies cross-reacting with regulatory peptides.

Objective and hypotheses: The aim of the study was to assess whether in short children with CA colonisation and HP infection the autoantibodies anti selected neuropeptides (Ab anti-NP) are more prevalent than in the control group.

Method: The study group comprised 77 short (height below −2.0 SD), children (28 girls and 49 boys), mean age: 10.2±3.6 S.D. years). The control group comprised 14 children with normal height (nine girls and five boys), mean age: 11.9±3.8 S.D. years). In every child, serology to detect HP (anti-HP IgG and IgA) was performed and stool samples were cultured for CA. Moreover, the prevalence of anti-ghrelin, anti-leptin, anti-alfaMSH and anti-orexinA Ab was assessed.

Results: In 42 out of 77 short children CA and/or HP infections were confirmed. In 15 of them (35.7%) anti-NP Abs were found. In seven out of 14 children from the control group CA and/or HP infections were confirmed and in two of them (28.6%) anti-NP Abs were found. Among short children without CA and/or HP infections, anti-NP Abs were detected in three cases only (out of 35) – 8.5%, while in the control group they were not found.

Conclusion: In short children with CA colonisation and/or HP infection the incidence of antibodies against neuropeptides is elevated, which may be connected with the molecular mimicry phenomenon. It may be a reason of worse high velocity in these children due to disorders in neuropeptides activity. However, further studies are necessary to elucidate this issue.

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