S100 proteins in the pathogenesis and diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (the inflammatory bowel diseases) are two well characterized conditions featuring inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Gut inflammation may be detected, assessed and measured by a variety of methods but their utility varies extensively. Over the past decade, calprotectin, belonging to a family of S100 proteins, has been shown to be a reliable marker of gut inflammation that corresponds to neutrophil migration. In addition, other members of the S100 family have important roles in inflammation and may also be useful markers of gut inflammation. Furthermore, these proteins may have functional roles in gut defense or in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.