IGFBP1 identified as potential biomarker for IBD monitoring in elderly patients

A recent study published in Current Molecular Pharmacology highlights the potential of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP1) as a monitoring biomarker for disease activity in elderly patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). As the global population ages, the prevalence of IBD in individuals over 60 is rising, yet diagnosis and monitoring remain challenging due to the invasive nature of current methods like endoscopy.

The study, led by Shuting Yang and Tingwang Jiang, used both mouse models and clinical samples to investigate age-related differences in IBD. Researchers found that elderly IBD patients had significantly higher levels of IGFBP1 in both serum and intestinal tissues compared to younger patients. Notably, elevated IGFBP1 levels were associated with lower clinical, endoscopic, and histological disease activity. "Serum IGFBP1 levels were negatively correlated with multiple inflammation-related markers and showed excellent diagnostic performance for assessing disease activity in elderly IBD patients," the authors noted.

Further analysis revealed a positive correlation between IGFBP1 and its receptor α5β1 integrin in intestinal tissues, suggesting a potential mechanism in tissue repair. "These findings indicate that IGFBP1 may promote intestinal healing and suppress inflammation, offering a promising non-invasive tool for managing elderly IBD patients," said corresponding author Yanyun Zhang. The study supports further research into IGFBP1 as part of a multidimensional monitoring strategy for this growing patient population.