Impaired Barrier Function and Autoantibody Generation in Malnutrition Enteropathy in Zambia.

ABSTRACT: Intestinal damage in malnutrition constitutes a threat to the survival of many thousands of children globally. We studied children in Lusaka, Zambia, with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and persistent diarrhea using endoscopy, biopsy and analysis of markers and protective proteins in blood and intestinal secretions. We carried out parallel investigations in apparently healthy adults, and analyzed biomarkers only in apparently healthy children. Villus height and crypt depth did not differ in children with SAM and adult controls, but epithelial surface was reduced in children with SAM (median 445, interquartile range (IQR) 388, 562μm per 100μm muscularis mucosae) compared to adults (578, IQR 465,709; P=0.004). Histological lesions and disruptions of claudin-4 and E-cadherin were most pronou

SUBMITTER: Amadi B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5552244 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature