(P14-024-24) Ghrelin Reactive Antibodies Levels Differ Between Individuals Following a Plant Based or Omnivorous Diet

Objectives: Ghrelin reactive antibodies are present in healthy subjects and altered in individuals with eating disorders but its regulation by diet has not been explored. This study aimed to analyze the circulating levels of anti-ghrelin IgG antibodies in adults who follow a plant based or an omnivorous diet.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 85 adults (18-50 years) categorized in two groups: plant base diet (which includes vegetarians, lacto-ovo vegetarians and vegans, n=28) and omnivorous diet (n=57). Participants were required to had been on those diets for at least 6 months, those with diagnosed congenital and chronic diseases or reported to take antibiotics or immunomodulatory drugs in the last 3 months were excluded from the study. A food consumption frequency questionnaire validated for Mexican population was applied to dietary assessment. Body composition parameters (BMI, body fat) and biochemical variables (glucose, triglycerides and total cholesterol) were evaluated. An in-house ELISA test was performed to quantify IgG ghrelin reactive antibodies in their different fractions (free, total and immune complexes percentage).

Results: IgG ghrelin reactive antibodies levels, both on its total fraction and the immune complexes fraction differed between groups, being higher in omnivorous versus individuals following a plant based diet group (p= 0.0253 and p= 0.0003, respectively). No significant differences were found on ghrelin reactive antibodies levels, according to sex or BMI. A positive correlation was found between immune complexes fraction of IgG ghrelin reactive antibodies and glucose levels in omnivorous group (r= 0.2719, p= 0.0467).

Conclusions: Our results suggest that IgG ghrelin reactive antibodies can be affected by different dietary patterns, possibly by the interaction between gut microbiota and different food antigens that may play an important role in the stimulation and the affinity changes of these antibodies by the molecular mimicry process. Correlation of these antibodies with biochemical parameters support its role as carriers and modulators of the hormone’s stability and signaling.

Funding Sources: No funding sources were applied.