The Open Bioactive Compounds Journal
2008, 1 : 1-6Published online 2008 June 3. DOI: 10.2174/1874847300801010001
Publisher ID: TOBCJ-1-1
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Allantoin as A Biomarker of Inflammation in an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Mouse Model: NMR Analysis of Urine
2 School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand,
3 Department of Chemistry, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand,
4 Crop and Food Research, Palmerston North, New Zealand,
5 HortResearch, Private Bag 11030, Palmerston North, New Zealand,
6 Food, Metabolism & Microbiology, Food & Health Group, AgResearch Limited, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North, New Zealand,
7 Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand,
8 Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Private Bag, 92019 Auckland 1142, New Zealand
# Present address: Unilever Food & Health Research Institute, PO Box 114, 3130 AC, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
¥ Members of Nutrigenomics NZ, which is a collaboration between AgResearch Limited, Crop & Food Research, HortResearch and The University of Auckland and is largely funded by the Foundation of Research, Science and Technology
* Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Nutrition, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand; Tel: +649 373 7599, ext 86372; E-mail: l.ferguson@auckland.ac.nz
ABSTRACT
Crohn’s disease (CD) is an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that is characterised by destructive inflammation of the intestinal wall. Current methods for determining inflammation of the bowel are costly, time consuming and can cause discomfort to the patients. In order to address these problems, biomarker analysis of more accessible tissues is receiving increasing attention. Oxidative stress has been implicated in the promotion of inflammation. Allantoin has recently been reported as a biomarker for oxidative stress in human serum and urine. This paper investigates allantoin as a biomarker of inflammation in a mouse model of CD. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy was used to analyse allantoin in urine from the mdr1a -/- mouse which is a model of CD. The data show that the levels of allantoin are strongly correlated with histological injury scores of mouse colonic tissue samples. Allantoin appears to be a useful biomarker of gut inflammation, involving oxidative stress, in a mouse model of CD and may be a potential biomarker in human CD studies