The Relationship of Irritable Bowel Disease with Zonulin Protein A and Pyroptosis

Background/Objectives: Evidence exists suggesting that the pathophysiology of IBS is multifaceted, involving mucosal inflammation, visceral hypersensitivity, microbial dysbiosis, and alterations in intestinal permeability. In our study, we found that the zonulin protein plays a role in IBS, and that pyroptosis can be triggered by inflammatory responses that lead to increased intestinal permeability and impaired intestinal permeability.Methods: Forty-four patients over 18 years of age who did not exhibit alarm symptoms, did not have systemic diseases affecting bowel movements, were not using medications that could affect bowel movements, and were not pregnant, and forty-four healthy individuals who signed the voluntary consent form were included in the study on a voluntary basis after undergoing colonoscopy and receiving a diagnosis of IBS according to the ROME-IV criteria. Levels of IL-1β, Nirp3, Gasdermin-D, and Zonulin Protein-A were examined in the patients, and serum levels were measured according to the normal reference range determined by our laboratory.Results: When the patient and control groups were compared, IL-1β levels were found to be statistically significantly higher in the patient group (p=0.000). NLRP3 levels were found to be statistically significantly higher in the patient group (p=0.000). The mean Gasdermin-d level was found to be statistically significantly higher in the patient group (p=0.009). The mean Zonulin Protein-A level was found to be statistically significantly higher in the patient group (p=0.001).Conclusion: In the etiopathogenesis of IBS, zonulin protein a and pyroptosis-related marker levels (Nlrp3, Il-1b, Gasdermin-D); The fact that it was detected significantly higher in patients with ibs compared to healthy controls supports our predictions that pyroptosis can be induced by inflammatory responses that may cause increased intestinal permeability and intestinal permeability, in which zonulin protein plays a role in ibs.