Mucosal Structure Research Articles

Kuiyangling Enema Alleviates Ulcerative Colitis Mice by Reducing Levels of Intestinal NETs and Promoting HuR/VDR Signaling.

Kuiyangling is a traditional Chinese medicine formula usedfor the treatment of ulcerative colitis, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. Imbalance in NETs regulation is one of the important factors contributing to the onset of ulcerative colitis (UC). The HuR/VDR signaling pathway plays a significant role in restoring the intestinal mucosal barrier in UC. The aim of this study is to explore the mechanism of Kuiyangling in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. A mouse model of ulcerative colitis using 3% DSS water was considered, and model, normal, Kuiyangling medium- (5 g·kg-1) and high-dose (10 g·kg-1), and mesalazine (50 mg·kg-1) groups were created. Measurements of colon length, spleen index, histopathological variances, subcellular structure observations, ROS content, and NET-related proteins (PAD4, MPO, citH3) were obtained through HE staining, electron microscopy, live imaging, and Western blotting assays. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analyses were conducted to assess the levels of HuR/VDR protein complex, ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-7, and intestinal NETs. An ELISA kit was utilized to determine cytokine levels, LC-MS was performed to analyze the composition of Kuiyangling, and next-generation sequencing was conducted for detection of the intestinal mucosal transcriptome. Kuiyangling reduced DAI, splenic index, and ROS content; maintained mucosal structure; decreased inflammation; and increased colon length and body mass index. Western blotting indicated that Kuiyangling reduced PAD4,MPO, and citH3 levels. Kuiyangling decreased NETs and increased the expression levels of ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-7, as well as up-regulating HuR, VDR, and HuR/VDR proteins. Kuiyangling reduced IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels while increasing TGF-β, IL-10, and IL-37 levels. Kuiyangling reduced inflammatory response proteins and elevated the levels of anti-inflammatory and intestinal barrier proteins, possibly inhibiting the TNF and oxidative phosphorylation signaling pathways. Kuiyangling enema in treating ulcerative colitis in mice, associated with a reduction in intestinal NETs and enhancement of HuR-mediated intestinal barrier signaling pathways.

The rectal microbiome: understanding its role in HIV transmission.

Condomless receptive anal intercourse stands out as the sexual practice with highest risk of HIV-1 infection. Recent studies have suggested that the gut microbiome influences susceptibility to HIV transmission. This review explores recent research on host risk factors, the rectal microbiome composition, local inflammation, and bacteria-derived mediators that may affect HIV transmission. Constitutive host factors such as rectal mucosal structure and immune cell populations in the rectum contribute to increased susceptibility. Changes in the composition of the rectal microbiota, influenced by sexual practices and HIV infection modulate immune activation and inflammation, impacting HIV susceptibility. Bacteria-derived mediators may further influence immune responses and HIV replication in the rectal mucosa. Understanding the role of the rectal microbiome in HIV transmission has important clinical implications. Targeted interventions that modulate the microbiome may reduce susceptibility to HIV transmission by regulating immune responses and inflammation. Further research into the host-microbiome interactions could lead to novel preventive and therapeutic strategies to mitigate HIV transmission.

Suppressed oncogenic molecules involved in the treatment of colorectal cancer by fecal microbiota transplantation.

Dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota is prevalent among patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aims to explore the anticancer roles of the fecal microbiota in inhibiting the progression of colorectal cancer and possible mechanisms. The intestinal microbial dysbiosis in CRC mice was significantly ameliorated by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), as indicated by the restored ACE index and Shannon index. The diameter and number of cancerous foci were significantly decreased in CRC mice treated with FMT, along with the restoration of the intestinal mucosal structure and the lessening of the gland arrangement disorder. Key factors in oxidative stress (TXN1, TXNRD1, and HIF-1α); cell cycle regulators (IGF-1, BIRC5, CDK8, HDAC2, EGFR, and CTSL); and a critical transcription factor of the innate immune signal pathway (IRF5) were among the repressed oncogenic targets engaged in the FMT treatment of CRC. Correlation analysis revealed that their expressions were positively correlated with uncultured_bacterium_o_Mollicutes_RF39, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, and negatively correlated with Bacillus, Marvinbryantia, Roseburia, Angelakisella, Enterorhabdus, Bacteroides, Muribaculum, and genera of uncultured_bacterium_f_Eggerthellaceae, uncultured_bacterium_f_Xanthobacteraceae, Prevotellaceae_UCG-001, uncultured_bacterium_f_Erysipelotrichaceae, uncul-tured_bacterium_f_Lachnospiraceae, uncultured_bacterium_f_Ruminococcaceae, Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005, and uncultured_bacterium_f_Peptococcaceae. This study provides more evidence for the application of FMT in the clinical treatment of CRC.

Preparation, physicochemical characterization, ex vivo, and in vivo evaluations of asiatic acid-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles formulated with natural waxes for nose-to-brain delivery

Asiatic acid (AA) has neuroprotective potential for prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Natural waxes with various ratios of Tween 80 and Span 80 or soybean lecithin were formulated to obtain AA-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (AA-SLN) to improve direct nose to brain transport. Optimal AA-SLN had particle size below 200 nm with uniform size distribution and zeta potential of nearly -30 mV indicating a low risk of particle aggregation. Formulation with rice bran wax, Tween 80, and soybean lecithin (AA-RwS100) showed the highest entrapment efficiency and yield of >98 % while in vitro AA release of AA-SLN was linearly up to 48 h For ex vivo permeation, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and histopathological studies on porcine olfactory mucosa (OM) and respiratory mucosa (RM), AA-SLN showed significantly higher permeation across OM than RM (p < 0.05) up to 6 h and AA-RwS100 also showed the highest amount of drug permeated as confirmed by CLSM results. Although AA-SLN showed non-significantly lower permeation than AA solution (AA-SOL) (p > 0.05), no epithelial and mucosal structure damages were observed in OM treated with AA-RwS100 and RM treated with all AA-SLNs indicating safety for nasal administration while AA-SOL showed significant damage to both OM and RM. In addition, in vivo brain distribution study by fluorescence imaging using Rhodamine (R6g) showed higher brain distribution after intranasal administration of R6g-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (R6g-SLN) than R6g solution (R6g-SOL) and intravenous administration of R6g-SLN, and R6g-RwS100 also showed the highest brain accumulation at 8 h post administration.

Trends in Injectable Biomaterials for Vocal Fold Regeneration and Long-Term Augmentation.

Human vocal folds (VF), a pair of small, soft tissues in the larynx, have a layered mucosal structure with unique mechanical strength to support high-level tissue deformation by phonation. Severe pathological changes to VF have causes including surgery, trauma, age-related atrophy, and radiation, and lead to partial or complete communication loss and difficulty in breathing and swallowing. VF glottal insufficiency requires injectable VF biomaterials such as hyaluronan, calcium hydroxyapatite, and autologous fat to augment VF functions. Although these biomaterials provide an effective short-term solution, significant variations in patient response and requirements of repeat reinjection remain notable challenges in clinical practice. Tissue engineering strategies have been actively explored in the search of an injectable biomaterial that possesses the capacity to match native tissue's material properties while promoting permanent tissue regeneration. This review aims to assess the current status of biomaterial development in VF tissue engineering. The focus will be on examining state-of-the-art techniques including modification with bioactive molecules, cell encapsulation, composite materials, as well as, in situ crosslinking with click chemistry. We will discuss potential opportunities that can further leverage these engineering techniques in the advancement of VF injectable biomaterials.

Magnolol-loaded polydopamine-chitosan coated pH-responsive nanoparticles for alleviation of ulcerative colitis

This study designed and developed a novel three-layer electrostatic, slow-releasing nanoparticle drug delivery system for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. The nanoparticles were composed of layers of zein-based polydopamine, chitosan and cellulose acetate phthalate to form a polyelectrolyte multilayer core−shell nanoparticle structure. The anti-inflammatory natural product magnolol was chosen to be the model drug for the study. The nanoparticles (260.50 ± 23.90 nm) were prepared with layer-by-layer coating and then assessed in vitro and in vivo using a mouse model of ulcerative colitis. The in vitro data confirmed the slow-releasing and pH-dependent characteristics of particles. Quantitative analysis of the in vivo distribution of Mag in mice showed significantly higher concentrations in colonic tissue than in the upper gastrointestinal tract (854.6 ng/g vs 291.5–351.1 ng/g, respectively). Histological and pro-inflammatory cytokine analysis indicated that the nanoparticles had a significant anti-inflammatory effect and were protective against DSS-induced structural damage of the colonic mucosal structure. These results confirm that this nano-delivery system could increase the levels of Mag reaching the colon, resulting in greater efficacy than free Mag in treating UC in this mouse model.

Propolis Extract Alters the Abundance of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Ileum Mucosal Structure of Male Wistar Rats with High-Fat Diet

Propolis Extract Alters the Abundance of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Ileum Mucosal Structure of Male Wistar Rats with High-Fat Diet

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Tannic Acid Synergistically Promote the Gut Barrier Integrity in a Rat Model of Experimental Diarrhea via Selective Immunomodulatory Cytokine Targeting.

Diarrhea is a common health issue that contributes to a significant annual death rate among children and the elderly worldwide. The anti-diarrheal activity of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and tannic acid (TA), alone or combined, is examined, in addition to their effect on intestinal barrier integrity. Fifty-six adult male Wistar rats are randomly assigned into seven groups: control, LGG alone, TA alone, diarrhea model, diarrhea+LGG, diarrhea+TA, and diarrhea+LGG+TA-treated groups. Diarrhea is induced by high-lactose diet (HLD) consumption. LGG (1x109 CFU/rat) and TA (100 mg Kg-1 d-1) were given orally 4 days after HLD feeding and continued for 10 days. Ileum specimens are processed for biochemical analysis of the local intestinal cytokines, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and histological study. Also, immunohistochemistry-based identification of Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) and zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1) is performed. Compared to the diarrhea model group, both treatments maintain the intestinal mucosal structure and proliferative activity and preserve ZO-1 expression, with the combination group showing the maximal effect. However, LGG-treated diarrheic rats show a remarkable decrease in the intestinal tissue concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and nuclear factor Kappa beta (NF-κB); meanwhile, TA treatment leads to a selective decrease of interferon-gamma (INF-γ) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β1). Individual LGG and TA treatments significantly alleviate diarrhea, probably through a selective immunomodulatory cytokine-dependent mechanism, while the combination of both synergistically maintains the intestinal mucosa by keeping the intestinal epithelial barrier function and regenerative capability.

The Response of the Gut Physiological Function and Microbiome of a Wild Freshwater Fish (Megalobrama terminalis) to Alterations in Reproductive Behavior.

The fish gut microbiome is well known for its role in degrading nutrients to improve the host's digestion and absorption efficiency. In this study, we focused on the core physiological adaptability during the various reproductive stages of the black Amur bream (Megalobrama terminalis) to explore the interaction mechanisms among the fish host gut mucosal structure, gut enzyme activity, and gut microbial metabolism in the course of the host's reproductive cycle. Our findings showed that M. terminalis exhibited locomotion metabolic type (aids in sporting) in the reproductive stage, and a change to visceral metabolic type (aids in digestion) during non-reproductive and post-reproductive stage phases. The impact of metabolic type selection and energy demand during various reproductive stages on fish nutrition strategy and digestive function was substantial. Our resulted showed that mitochondria in intestinal epithelial cells of reproductive M. terminalis appeared autophagy phenomenon, and the digestive enzyme activities in the intestines of reproductive M. terminalis were lower than those in the non-reproductive and post-reproductive individuals. Moreover, these differences in nutrition strategy have a prominent impact on the gut microbiome of reproductive M. terminalis, compared to non-reproductive and post-reproductive samples. Our findings showed that reproductive females had lower levels of alpha diversity compared to non-reproductive and post-reproductive females. Our results also showed a greater functional variety and an increase in functional genes related to carbohydrate, lipid, amino acid, cofactors, and vitamin metabolic pathways in the NRS and PRS group. It is noteworthy that an enrichment of genes encoding putative enzymes implicated in the metabolism of taurine and hypotaurine was observed in the RS samples. Our findings illustrated that the stability and resilience of the gut bacterial community could be shaped in the wild fish host-microbiome interactions during reproductive life history.

Acupuncture ameliorates atopic dermatitis by modulating gut barrier function in a gut microbiota-dependent manner in mice

ObjectiveAtopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that may be linked to changes in the gut microbiome. Acupuncture has been proven to be effective in reducing AD symptoms without serious adverse events, but its underlying mechanism is not completely understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the potential effect of acupuncture on AD is gut microbiota-dependent. MethodsAD-like skin lesions were induced by applying MC903 topically to the cheek of the mouse. Acupuncture was done at the Gok-Ji (LI11) acupoints. AD-like symptoms were assessed by lesion scores, scratching behavior, and histopathological changes; intestinal barrier function was measured by fecal output, serum lipopolysaccharide levels, histopathological changes, and mRNA expression of markers involved in intestinal permeability and inflammation. Gut microbiota was profiled using 16S rRNA gene sequencing from fecal samples. ResultsAcupuncture effectively improved chronic itch as well as the AD-like skin lesions with epidermal thickening, and also significantly altered gut microbiota structure as revealed by β-diversity indices and analysis of similarities. These beneficial effects were eliminated by antibiotic depletion of gut microbiota, but were reproduced in gut microbiota-depleted mice that received a fecal microbiota transplant from acupuncture-treated mice. Interestingly, AD mice had intestinal barrier dysfunction as indicated by increased intestinal permeability, atrophy of the mucosal structure (reduced villus height and crypt depth), decreased expression of tight junctions and mucus synthesis genes, and increased expression of inflammatory mediators in the ileum. Acupuncture attenuated these abnormalities, which was gut microbiota-dependent. ConclusionAcupuncture ameliorates AD-like phenotypes in a gut microbiota-dependent manner and some of these positive benefits are explained by modulation of the intestinal barrier, providing new perspective for non-pharmacological strategies for modulating gut microbiota to prevent and treat AD.Please cite this article as: Yeom M, Ahn S, Hahm DH, Jang SY, Jang SH, Park SY, Jang JH, Park J, Oh JY, Lee IS, Kim K, Kwon SK, Park HJ. Acupuncture ameliorates atopic dermatitis by modulating gut barrier function in a gut microbiota-dependent manner in mice. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(5): 600–613.

Helicobacter pylori infection alters gastric microbiota structure and biological functions in patients with gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is closely associated with gastrointestinal diseases. Our preliminary studies have indicated that H. pylori infection had a significant impact on the mucosal microbiome structure in patients with gastric ulcer (GU) or duodenal ulcer (DU). To investigate the contributions of H. pylori infection and the mucosal microbiome to the pathogenesis and progression of ulcerative diseases. Patients with H. pylori infection and either GU or DU, and healthy individuals without H. pylori infection were included. Gastric or duodenal mucosal samples was obtained and subjected to metagenomic sequencing. The compositions of the microbial communities and their metabolic functions in the mucosal tissues were analyzed. Compared with that in the healthy individuals, the gastric mucosal microbiota in the H. pylori-positive patients with GU was dominated by H. pylori, with significantly reduced biodiversity. The intergroup differential functions, which were enriched in the H. pylori-positive GU patients, were all derived from H. pylori, particularly those concerning transfer RNA queuosine-modification and the synthesis of demethylmenaquinones or menaquinones. A significant enrichment of the uibE gene was detected in the synthesis pathway. There was no significant difference in microbial diversity between the H. pylori-positive DU patients and healthy controls. H. pylori infection significantly alters the gastric microbiota structure, diversity, and biological functions, which may be important contributing factors for GU.

Effects of Yeast Culture on Laying Performance, Antioxidant Properties, Intestinal Morphology, and Intestinal Flora of Laying Hens.

Yeast culture (YC) plays a significant role in enhancing the performance and health of poultry breeding. This study investigated the impact of different YC supplementation concentrations (basal diet with 1.0 g/kg and 2.0 g/kg of YC, YC1.0, and YC2.0) on egg production performance, egg quality, antioxidant properties, intestinal mucosal structure, and intestinal flora of laying hens. Both YC1.0 and YC2.0 groups significantly enhanced the egg protein height, Haugh unit, and crude protein content of egg yolks compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The supplementation with YC2.0 notably increased the egg production rate, reduced feed-to-egg ratio, and decreased the broken egg rate compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, YC supplementation enhanced serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity while reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) content (p < 0.05). Moreover, YC supplementation promoted duodenal villus height and villus ratio in the duodenum and jejunum (p < 0.05). Analysis of cecal microorganisms indicated a decrease in Simpson and Shannon indices with YC supplementation (p < 0.05). YC1.0 reduced the abundance of Proteobacteria, while YC2.0 increased the abundance of Bacteroidales (p < 0.05). Overall, supplementation with YC improved egg production, quality, antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology, and cecal microbial composition in laying hens, with significant benefits observed at the 2.0 g/kg supplementation level.

Protective effect of Albizia chinensis saponin on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats focus on mucus and mucosal barriers

This study aims to explore the protective effect of Albizia chinensis saponin on ethanol-induced acute gastric ulcer in rats and elucidate its mechanisms. SD rats were deprived of water for 24 hours before the experiment. The control group and model group were administered water by gavage, and the positive drug group received rabeprazole sodium solution(40 mg·kg~(-1)) by gavage. The experimental groups were given different doses of Albizia chinensis saponin solution(3, 10, and 30 mg·kg~(-1)). After 30 minutes, the control group received 1.5 mL of water by gavage, while the other groups were administered an equal volume of 95% ethanol for modeling. After six hours, the rats were killed by cervical dislocation, and the stomachs were collected. The ulcer area was measured, and the ulcer index was calculated. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was performed to assess histopathological changes in gastric tissue. Periodic acid-Schiff(PAS) staining was used to evaluate the distribution of gastric mucosal surface mucus. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed to measure the levels of phospholipids and aminohexose in the gastric mucosa. Western blot was performed to determine the expression levels of the bicarbonate transporter, matrix metalloproteinase, and tight junction-associated proteins in gastric tissue. Immunohistochemistry(IHC) staining was conducted to quantify the number of positive cells for secreted mucin and tight junction-associated proteins. The results showed that the gastric tissue surface of rats in the control group was smooth without ulceration, and the gastric ulcer index of rats in the model group was 35±11. Albizia chinensis saponin at doses of 3, 10, and 30 mg·kg~(-1) resulted in inhibition rates of gastric ulcer of 46%(P&lt;0.01), 85%(P&lt;0.001), and 100%(P&lt;0.001), respectively. Severe disruption of gastric mucosal structure and absence of the mucus layer were observed in the model group. Compared with the model group, the Albizia chinensis saponin group showed intact gastric mucosal surface mucus layer, significantly increased levels of phospholipids and aminohexose in the mucus, increased number of MUC5AC positive cells, and upregulated expression levels of the bicarbonate transporter SLC26A3 and CFTR. It also showed decreased phosphorylation of JNK and c-Jun, reduced expression levels of MMP-8, elevated expression of TIMP-1, and increased expression levels of Occludin and ZO-1. In conclusion, Albizia chinensis saponin enhances the function of the mucus-bicarbonate barrier by upregulating the content of MUC5AC, phospholipids, and aminohexose and increasing the expression levels of the bicarbonate transporter SLC26A3 and CFTR. Moreover, Albizia chinensis saponin exerts its protective effects on gastric ulcers by inhibiting the JNK signaling pathway to prevent excessive activation of MMP-8, thereby reducing the degradation of Occludin and ZO-1 and enhancing the mucosal barrier function. In summary, Albizia chinensis saponin exerts its anti-gastric ulcer effects by simultaneously enhancing the mucus barrier and the mucosal barrier.

Protective effect of zinc gluconate on intestinal mucosal barrier injury in antibiotics and LPS-induced mice

ObjectiveThe aim of the study is to investigate the function and mechanism of Zinc Gluconate (ZG) on intestinal mucosal barrier damage in antibiotics and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mice.MethodsWe established a composite mouse model by inducing intestinal mucosal barrier damage using antibiotics and LPS. The animals were divided into five groups: Control (normal and model) and experimental (low, medium, and high-dose ZG treatments). We evaluated the intestinal mucosal barrier using various methods, including monitoring body weight and fecal changes, assessing pathological damage and ultrastructure of the mouse ileum, analyzing expression levels of tight junction (TJ)-related proteins and genes, confirming the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, and examining the structure of the intestinal flora.ResultsIn mice, the dual induction of antibiotics and LPS led to weight loss, fecal abnormalities, disruption of ileocecal mucosal structure, increased intestinal barrier permeability, and disorganization of the microbiota structure. ZG restored body weight, alleviated diarrheal symptoms and pathological damage, and maintained the structural integrity of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Additionally, ZG reduced intestinal mucosal permeability by upregulating TJ-associated proteins (ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1, and JAM-A) and downregulating MLCK, thereby repairing intestinal mucosal barrier damage induced by dual induction of antibiotics and LPS. Moreover, ZG suppressed the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, demonstrating anti-inflammatory properties and preserving barrier integrity. Furthermore, ZG restored gut microbiota diversity and richness, evidenced by increased Shannon and Observed features indices, and decreased Simpson’s index. ZG also modulated the relative abundance of beneficial human gut bacteria (Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia, Parabacteroides, Lactobacillus, and Akkermansia) and harmful bacteria (Proteobacteria and Enterobacter), repairing the damage induced by dual administration of antibiotics and LPS.ConclusionZG attenuates the dual induction of antibiotics and LPS-induced intestinal barrier damage and also protects the intestinal barrier function in mice.

Effects of moxibustion on visceral hypersensitivity and colonic inflammatory response in mice with chronic ulcerative colitis.

To observe the effects of moxibustion at "Zusanli" (ST36) on the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, TNF receptor 1 (TNF-R1), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38 MAPK), and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in the colon tissue of mice with chronic ulcerative colitis (UC), so as to explore the underlying mechanisms of moxibustion in improving visceral hypersensitivity in chronic UC. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal group, normal with moxibustion (NM) group, model group, and model with moxibustion (MM) group, with 10 mice in each group. The chronic UC model was established by drinking 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate for 3 cycles. Mice in the NM and MM groups received moxibustion at ST36 for 20 min, 5 days per week with a 2-day break, for a total of 4 weeks. The disease activity index (DAI) score of each group was evaluated before and after treatment. The minimum volume threshold of abdominal wall retraction reflex (AWR) was measured to observe the intestinal sensitivity of mice. The colon length was measured. The pathological changes of colon tissue were observed by HE staining. The expression of mucin in colon goblet cells was detected by periodate Scheff staining. The intestinal fibrosis was observed by Masson staining. The number of trypsin-positive cells (i.e., mast cell) and the expression level of TNF-α in colon tissue were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The expression levels of TNF-R1, P38 MAPK and TRPV1 in colon tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry. Compared with the normal group after treatment, the model group showed increased DAI score (P<0.001), decreased AWR minimum volume threshold (P<0.01), shortened colon length (P<0.001), significant inflammatory infiltration in the colon tissue, reduced mucin secretion (P<0.01), increased collagen fiber deposition (P<0.001), and elevated expression levels of TNF-α, TNF-R1, P38 MAPK, and TRPV1 (P<0.001, P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the MM group showed decreased DAI score (P<0.01), increased AWR minimum volume threshold (P<0.001), elongated colon length (P<0.001), reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, improved integrity of mucosal glandular structure, enhanced mucin secretion (P<0.01), decreased collagen fiber deposition (P<0.001), decreased number of mast cells in the colon tissue (P<0.001), and decreased expression levels of TNF-α, TNF-R1, P38 MAPK, and TRPV1 (P<0.001, P<0.01, P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the above index between the NM group and the normal group. Moxibustion can reduce visceral hypersensitivity, alleviate inflammatory infiltration and fibrotic damage in the colon tissue of mice with chronic UC. These effects may be associated with the down-regulation of TNF-α, TNF-R1, P38 MAPK, and TRPV1 expression in colon.

Low-FODMAP diet and hidradenitis suppurativa: the role of nutritionists in the management of dermato-endocrine disorders.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory, immune-mediated, debilitating skin disease, characterized by subcutaneous nodules, with a still not clear pathophysiology. Although the prevalence is rather low (about 1% in Europe), its clinical complications, as well as the disabling symptomatology, make it necessary multidisciplinary therapeutic approaches. Not recently several authors described the involvement of the well-known gut-skin axis in both pathogenesis and progression of dermatological diseases. In particular, a high frequency of intestinal disorders (such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease) has been reported in HS patients, leading to speculate the existence of a relationship between such gut and skin diseases. The keystone in this relationship seems to be an impairment of the physiological gut mucosal barrier structure, resulting in the so-called leaky gut. The leaky gut, thus, might be responsible for a dietary compound-caused activation of the local immune system, with consequent trigging of both local and systemic inflammation, resulting in exacerbation of skin symptoms in HS patients. The current literature suggests the use of a low fermentable, oligo-, di, mono-saccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet as a valid nutritional strategy in leaky gut. In light of this, we want to evaluate and consider the potential use of low-FODMAP diet in HS patient.

ENHANCING GASTRIC ULCER MANAGEMENT: NOVEL INSIGHTS FROM TERAZOSIN-PANTOPRAZOLE COMBINATION THERAPY

In this present study, we explored a novel approach to gastric ulcer management by investigating the therapeutic potential of terazosin, an alpha-1 adrenergic receptor inhibitor, in combination with pantoprazole, a common anti-ulcer agent. Employing an ethanol-induced rat-gastric ulcer model, the study demonstrated that terazosin pre-treatment significantly reduced ulcer formation, with the terazosinpantoprazole combination exhibiting superior mucosal protection compared to pantoprazole alone. Histopathological analysis revealed preserved mucosal structure and reduced neutrophil infiltration, indicating an anti-inflammatory effect. At a molecular level, the combination treatment groups exhibited elevated levels of phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK-1), a vital enzyme in cellular energy metabolism, while inflammatory markers IκB kinase (IKK) and interleukin- 6 (IL-6) were significantly reduced, signifying mitigation of inflammation. These findings of the three different combinations of terazosin with pantoprazole indicate that this can be a potential approach for the treatment of gastric ulcers and can help in reducing the existing pantoprazole dose.

A Comprehensive Study on the Digestive Endoscopic Technique and Narrow-Band Imaging for Early Gastric Cancer Screening

Objective: To explore the implementation of gastrointestinal endoscopy technology and endoscopic narrow-band imaging (NBI) in the early screening of gastric cancer and to observe and study their application effects. Methods: During the period from March 2023 to August 2023, 312 patients who received gastroscopy in the Kunming Guandu District People’s Hospital were selected, and they underwent both conventional gastroscopy and endoscopic NBI, with clinicopathological tissue biopsy serving as the gold standard. The application value for early screening of gastric cancer was observed and analyzed. Results: The scoring data showed that the clarity of gastric mucosal glandular tube structure, microvascular structure clarity, and lesion contour scoring data of conventional gastroscopy were lower than those of the NBI technology (P &lt; 0.05). The screening rate of pathological biopsy in 312 patients was 18.59% (58 cases). Conventional gastroscopy showed a screening rate of 11.53% (36 cases), while NBI technology examined a screening rate of 17.63% (55 cases), and the two-by-two comparison of the screening rate data of the three groups was not statistically significant (P &gt; 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of conventional gastroscopy appeared to be lower than those of NBI technology (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: In the early screening of gastric cancer, endoscopic NBI technology can be applied to patients. Compared with conventional gastroscopy, it provides a clearer visualization of the structure of the gastric mucosal glandular structure and microvascular structure, with a certain screening rate. Additionally, its sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value are higher, demonstrating outstanding effectiveness.

Dietary purple potato supplement attenuates DSS-induced colitis in mice: impact on mitochondrial function

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a condition characterized by disrupted intestinal barrier function, abnormal immune response, and mucosal structure loss. This study evaluated the beneficial role of purple potato (PP) supplementation against IBD symptoms using a murine model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis, and further explored the underlying mechanisms. Six-week-old C57BL/6J male mice were randomized into two groups and fed a standard rodent diet with or without 10% PP powder for 7 weeks. At the 5th week of dietary supplements, mice in each group were further divided into two subgroups and were either induced with or without 2.5% DSS induction for 7 days, followed by 7 days of recovery. Data showed that PP supplementation ameliorated the disease activity index in DSS-treated mice and reversed the colonic structure loss, mucosal damage, macrophage infiltration, and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion induced by DSS in the colonic tissue. PP supplementation also restored the levels of tight junction proteins and caudal type homeobox 2 in DSS-treated mice. Furthermore, dietary PP enhanced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α signaling pathway, mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial proteostasis, and protein-folding capacity. In summary, dietary PP ameliorated DSS-induced colitis and improved gut structures and barrier function, which was associated with improved mitochondrial function. These results support further investigation of PP as a potential dietary intervention for IBD.

D2polyp-Net: A cross-modal space-guided network for real-time colorectal polyp detection and diagnosis

Colorectal polyp screening and identification during endoscopy are crucial for reducing cancer morbidity and patient mortality. Although some deep neural networks for polyp detection and diagnosis have been proposed, there are still problems in small-size polyp localization, poor classification performance especially in white-light endoscopic imaging modality, as well as real-time performance. In this paper, we propose D2polyp-Net, employing a space-guided localization framework and a cross-modal pairwise training strategy, which performs real-time polyp detection and diagnosis simultaneously. The space-guided framework consisting of a dual-pyramid structure builds a fusion bridge between shallow-spatial and deep-semantic information, achieving more accurate localization and providing effective spatial information for polyp classification. The cross-modal pairwise training strategy constrains the output feature of white-light images to approach that of the corresponding narrow-band images, as the latter provide richer mucosal structure and blood flow information to classify polyps. The above modules are validated on publicly available datasets, and D2polyp-Net is demonstrated to surpass other compared state-of-the-art algorithms. It achieves an mAP@0.5 of 0.817 at a frame rate of 28 FPS, with precision and recall above 0.7 for both hyperplastic and adenomatous polyps. Cross-center tests on clinical data further demonstrate the generalization ability of D2polyp-Net, with the mAP@0.5 reaching 0.780. The experimental results show that D2polyp-Net can assist physicians in polyp detection and diagnosis during clinical colonoscopy, which is important for reducing the polyp miss rate and improving the diagnostic efficiency.