Neutrophil anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody proteins: bactericidal increasing protein, lactoferrin, cathepsin, and elastase as serological markers of inflammatory bowel and other diseases.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract comprising Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Although the pathogenesis of the disease is not clearly defined yet, environmental, genetic and other factors contribute to the onset of the disease. Apart from the clinical and histopathological findings, several serological biomarkers are also employed to detect IBD.