Total Mucosal Thickness Research Articles

Morphometric features of gastric mucosa in atrophic gastritis: A different pattern between corpus and antrum.

Atrophic gastritis can cause mucosa thinning, while detailed metrological evidence is lacking. We aimed to compare the morphological features of full-thickness gastric mucosa in antrum and corpus and evaluate the diagnostic performance for atrophy. Gastric cancer patients were prospectively enrolled (N = 401). Full-thickness gastric mucosa was obtained. Foveolar length, glandular length and musculus mucosae thickness were measured. Pathological assessment was conducted using the visual analogue scale of the updated Sydney system. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were calculated for different atrophy degrees. In corpus mucosa, foveolar length and musculus mucosae thickness were positively correlated with the atrophy degree (spearman's correlation coefficient [rs] = 0.231 and 0.224, respectively, P < .05); glandular length and total mucosal thickness were negatively correlated (rs = -0.399 and -0.114, respectively, P < .05). Total mucosal thickness did not correlate with antral atrophy degree (P = .107). The AUCs of total mucosal thickness for corpus and antral atrophy were 0.570 (P < .05) and 0.592 (P < .05), respectively. The AUCs for corpus atrophy, moderate and severe, and severe atrophy were 0.570 (P < .05), 0.571 (P = .003), and 0.584 (P = .006), respectively. The corresponding AUCs for antral atrophy were 0.592 (P = .010), 0.548 (P = .140), and 0.521 (P = .533), respectively. The tendency for mucosal thickness to thin with atrophy occurred in the corpus rather than in the antrum. The diagnostic performance of corpus and antral mucosal thickness was limited for atrophy.

Inclusion of Soybean Hulls (Glycine max) and Pupunha Peach Palm (Bactris gasipaes) Nanofibers in the Diet of Growing Rabbits: Effects on Zootechnical Performance and Intestinal Health.

This study evaluated the inclusion of nanofibers from soybean hulls and pupunha peach palm heart sheaths in the diet of growing rabbits. Twenty-four New Zealand White rabbits (male and female) were allocated in three experimental groups: control, fed a basal diet; Nanosoy, fed a diet containing 7% soybean-hull nanofibers; and Nanopupunha, fed a diet containing 7% pupunha palm heart-sheath nanofibers. The Nanosoy-group rabbits showed poorer final weight, daily feed intake, and daily weight gain than those in other groups. In the duodenum, villus height, total mucosal thickness, and villus width were higher in rabbits that received nanofiber-supplemented diets than in the controls. Higher villus density and wall thickness were observed in Nanopupunha-fed rabbits than in the controls. In the jejunum, although the crypt depth was higher in Nanosoy-fed rabbits, the villus height:crypt depth ratio was higher in the Nanopupunha-fed group. Nanosoy-fed animals exhibited increased count Enterobacteriaceae populations. Rabbits in both nanofiber-fed groups exhibited higher lactic-acid bacterial counts than those in the control-diet group. Therefore, although the inclusion of 7% Nanopupunha in the diet of rabbits did not alter the performance, it improved intestinal health and increased the lactic-acid bacterial count in the cecum of growing rabbits.

Synergistic effect of feed additives on cell proliferation and morphology in quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) duodenum

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a commercial probiotic and a commercial essential oil blend and their mixture, as a natural feed additive, on the expression level of Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA), proliferation index (PI), and total mucosal thickness of quails. 1-day-old Japanese (Coturnix coturnix japonica) quails, including both males and females, were divided into four groups as follows: (1) control treatment without medication (n: 15); (2) 18 g/ ton-1 probiotic (n: 15); (3) 300 g/ ton-1 essential oil blend (n: 15) and (4) 18 g/ ton-1 probiotic plus 300 g/ ton-1 essential oil blend (n: 15). In the study, the effect of natural feed additives added to the quail diet on intestinal health was evaluated by immunohistochemical and histological analyzes. At the end of the experiment, the quail's duodenum was removed, fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, and a histological examination procedure was performed.As a result of the study, it was determined that the PCNA expressions, proliferation index, and mucosal thickness were generally significantly increased in the experimental groups compared to the control group (p&lt;0.001). The combination of additives caused a synergistic effect for this study. All data were statistically significant in the group where the probiotic and essential oil mixture was used together. It has been determined that these feed additives combination stimulates cell proliferation in the duodenum, where nutrients absorbed, and positively affect intestinal morphology.

Ultrasonographic measurement of vaginal thickness: Relation to menopausal status and genitourinary syndrome of menopause.

To compare the total vaginal wall thickness (TVT) and total mucosal thickness (TMT) measurements of premenopausal and postmenopausal women measured by ultrasonography and to determine the association of these measurements to findings and symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause METHODS: Healthy volunteers, 80 postmenopausal and 80 premenopausal, were included. Ultrasonographic TVT and TMT measurements, vaginal health index (VHI) scores and pH values were recorded. The daily impact of vaginal aging (DIVA) scale was administered to women in the postmenopausal group. TVT measurements of the postmenopausal group (6.55 ± 2.00 mm) were lower than the premenopausal group (10.37 ± 2.11 mm) (p: 0.000). TMT measurements of the postmenopausal group (1.46 ± 0.50 mm) were lower than the premenopausal group (2.19 ± 0.60 mm) (p: 0.000). The VHI scores of the postmenopausal group were significantly lower than the premenopausal group, the pH value was higher (p < 0.05). Considering all women TVT and TMT measurements were inversely correlated with pH values and positively correlated with total VHI scores. There was no significant correlation between any component scores of the DIVA scale and TVT, TMT, pH, and VHI total (p > 0.05). TVT and TMT measurements in postmenopausal women are significantly lower than premenopausal women. Examination findings and thickness measurements are correlated. Transabdominal ultrasonography is a method that can be used in the evaluation of vaginal thickness which is not painful for the patient, is easy to apply and gives results consistent with the examination findings. However, measurements and examination findings do not correlate with the DIVA scores in postmenopausal women.

Comparison between the techniques of inclusion in glycol methacrylate (GMA)-based plastic resin and paraffin for evaluation intestinal morphometry in horses.

To determine the effect of the inclusion method on the histomorphometric evaluation of the gastrointestinal mucosa of horses, jejunum samples were collected using flank laparotomy. Sixteen mixed breed healthy adult horses, including four males and 12 females, aged 4-14 years with an average body weight of 248.40 ± 2.28 kg, were used. Jejunal biopsies were collected and analyzed by light microscopy using two methods: group 1 comprised biopsies fixed using 10% neutral formalin and embedded in paraffin; biopsies in group 2 were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7.2, followed by inclusion in glycol methacrylate (GMA)-based plastic resin. Intestinal villi height, crypt depth, glandular mucosa thickness, total mucosal thickness, and villus/crypt ratio were then evaluated. For all the variables studied, with exception of the villus/crypt ratio, a significant difference (p < 0.05) was found between samples in groups 1 and 2. Processing samples for embedding in plastic resin was quicker and easier to perform compared to that for paraffin embedding. In addition, the epithelial lining of tissues in group 2 showed better resolution for conducting cytological studies under a light microscope. The difference between the studied variables can be attributed to tissue retraction caused by conventional processing for inclusion in paraffin. Therefore, the method of inclusion in GMA described in the present study appears to be a more reliable choice for morphometric evaluation of the intestinal mucosa of horses.

Particular Morphological Features in the Diagnosis of Pediatric Helicobacter pylori Gastritis: A Morphometry-Based Study.

Background: Current pediatric guidelines recommend the use of the Updated Sydney Classification for gastritis to assess histological changes caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphometric alterations of the antral mucosa in relation to pediatric H. pylori infection. Methods: A total of 65 cases were considered eligible. Apart from scoring the biopsies according to the recommendations, foveolar hyperplasia (FH) was assessed. The following measurements were performed on digital slides: total mucosal thickness, foveolar and glandular length, number of glandular cross sections per 40X field, glandular diameter, and distance between glands. Results: The thickness of the antral mucosa increased along with the bacterial density and the intensity of inflammation in H. pylori-infected children (p < 0.05). FH was significantly associated with the presence of H. pylori (p < 0.001) and also exhibited a greater length of the foveolar and glandular structures and an increased glandular diameter (p < 0.05), but without influencing the thickness of the mucosa. Conclusions: Our results reinforce the fact that FH is not only an important histologic characteristic of gastropathy, but is also a significant change observed in H. pylori infection in children and may be considered for reporting when evaluating pediatric gastric biopsies.

Transabdominal ultrasonography: A non-invasive method for diagnosing vaginal atrophy.

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is a definition of all symptoms caused by hypoestrogenemia in menopausal age and one of the most common symptoms is vaginal atrophy. The diagnosis methods which are used for vaginal atrophy may be painful. A novel method total vaginal thickness and total mucosal thickness measuring could be determine vaginal atrophy. This is a prospective case-control study involving 60 women in each group of 120 patients. One of the groups is comprised postmenopausal, histopathologically diagnosed vaginal atrophic women and the other group comprised 24-35 aged women who were no symptoms of vaginal atrophy and vaginal swab samples are not compatible with vaginal atrophy. All women who participated in the study underwent transabdominal ultrasound and total vaginal thickness and total mucosal thickness were measured. Total vaginal thickness and total mucosal thickness were found lower in the postmenopausal group compared to premenopausal women (p = 0.005 and p = 0.07, respectively). The cutoff value was determined as 8.55 mm for total vaginal thickness and 1.52 mm for total mucosal thickness, and the diagnostic power of these values is a specificity of 88.89% (95% confidence interval: 51.75-99.72%) and a ppv of 92.86% (95% confidence interval: 66.53-98.84%) for total vaginal thickness and a specificity of 80.95% (95% confidence interval: 58.09-94.55%) and a ppv of 89.47% (95% confidence interval: 71.10-96.71%) for total mucosal thickness. Vaginal atrophy is a painful symptom for menopausal women and the diagnostic methods may be invasive and painful too. Total vaginal thickness and total mucosal thickness measuring with transabdominal ultrasound could be an alternative method for diagnosis and treat vaginal atrophy easily.

Prebiotics and Probiotics Maintain the Intestinal Barrier Function

The intestinal barrier function is crucial in maintaining the host's homeostasis, as it acts as the first protective barrier between the lumenal content and circulation. Disruptions to this protective barrier have been linked to various pathological conditions. Excessive permeability can lead to tissue damage, systemic inflammation, and even organ failure. Studies have shown that the gut microbiota and its metabolites have an essential role in the regulation of the intestinal barrier function. Negative alterations to the gut microbiota, known as dysbiosis, have been shown to be a factor involved for the increased barrier permeability. Thus, restoration of the gut microbiota can provide a novel approach for the prevention of adverse effects caused by the loss of this protective barrier. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a prebiotic and probiotic in maintaining the intestinal barrier integrity during heat stress.Animals were pre‐treated by oral gavage with Bacillus subtilis probiotic strain, a yeast fermentate product having prebiotic properties, or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) prior to exposure to heat stress. Control rats received identical treatments, but without the exposure to stressor. The results demonstrated that heat stress lead to significant changes to the intestinal barrier in the stressed animals pre‐treated with PBS, causing significant decreases in villi height and total mucosal thickness, and reduced expression of tight junction proteins. The level of lipopolysaccharides in serum also significantly increased in those animals. All registered adverse effects were prevented in stressed animals pre‐treated with the probiotic and prebiotic. Analysis of the gut microbiota revealed significant disruption of microbial composition only in the stressed rats pre‐treated with PBS. These results demonstrate the high efficacy of the prebiotic and probiotic in preventing the loss of the intestinal barrier function. We can speculate that the beneficial modulation of the gut microbiota could be a valuable approach for prevention of stress‐related adverse effects.Support or Funding InformationThis work was supported by Auburn University funds.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Infectious bursal disease virus infection leads to changes in the gut associated-lymphoid tissue and the microbiota composition.

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an acute, highly contagious and immunosuppressive poultry disease. IBD virus (IBDV) is the causative agent, which may lead to high morbidity and mortality rates in susceptible birds. IBDV-pathogenesis studies have focused mainly on primary lymphoid organs. It is not known if IBDV infection may modify the development of the gut associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) as well as the microbiota composition. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of IBDV-infection on the bursa of Fabricius (BF), caecal tonsils (CT) and caecum, and to determine the effects on the gut microbiota composition in the caecum. Commercial broiler chickens were inoculated with a very virulent (vv) strain of IBDV at 14 (Experiment 2) or 15 (Experiment 1) days post hatch (dph). Virus replication, lesion development, immune parameters including numbers of T and B lymphocytes, macrophages, as well as the gut microbiota composition were compared between groups. Rapid IBDV-replication was detected in the BF, CT and caecum. It was accompanied by histological lesions including an infiltration of heterophils. In addition a significant reduction in the total mucosal thickness of the caecum was observed in vvIBDV-infected birds compared to virus-free controls (P < 0.05). vvIBDV infection also led to an increase in T lymphocyte numbers and macrophages, as well as a decrease in the number of B lymphocytes in the lamina propria of the caecum, and in the caecal tonsils. Illumina sequencing analysis indicated that vvIBDV infection also induced changes in the abundance of Clostridium XIVa and Faecalibacterium over time. Overall, our results suggested that vvIBDV infection had a significant impact on the GALT and led to a modulation of gut microbiota composition, which may lead to a higher susceptibility of affected birds for pathogens invading through the gut.

Transabdominal sonography to measure the total vaginal and mucosal thicknesses.

Transabdominal and transvaginal sonography are used to measure bladder wall and detrusor thickness. Only transvaginal sonography has been used to measure the vaginal wall thickness. We describe the use of transabdominal sonography to measure the total vaginal wall thickness and total vaginal mucosal thickness at the bladder trigone. The mean bladder wall thickness and SD from published data were within the 95% confidence interval of our data. Total vaginal and mucosal thicknesses are reliable measurements, which require specific evaluation in a postmenopausal population. They could be used to quantify vaginal atrophy and could correlate to symptoms of atrophy and response to treatment. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:461-464, 2017.

Prevention of Heat Stress Adverse Effects in Rats by Bacillus subtilis Strain.

This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of the Bacillus subtilis strain against complications related to heat stress. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. Animals were orally treated twice a day for two days with B. subtilis BSB3 strain or PBS. The next day after the last treatment, each group was divided and two experimental groups (one treated with PBS and one treated with B. subtilis) were placed at 45 (o)C for 25 min. Two control groups stayed for 25 min at room temperature. All rats were euthanized and different parameters were analyzed in all groups. Adverse effects of heat stress are registered by the decrease of villi height and total mucosal thickness in the intestinal epithelium; translocation of bacteria from the lumen; increased vesiculation of erythrocytes and elevation of the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) level in the blood. The protective efficacy of treatment is evaluated by prevention of these side effects. The protocol was set up for the oral treatment of rats with bacteria for prevention of heat stress complications, but this protocol can be modified and used for other routes of administration and for analysis of different compounds.

Prevention of Heat Stress Adverse Effects in Rats by &lt;em&gt;Bacillus subtilis&lt;/em&gt; Strain

This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of the Bacillus subtilis strain against complications related to heat stress. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. Animals were orally treated twice a day for two days with B. subtilis BSB3 strain or PBS. The next day after the last treatment, each group was divided and two experimental groups (one treated with PBS and one treated with B. subtilis) were placed at 45 oC for 25 min. Two control groups stayed for 25 min at room temperature. All rats were euthanized and different parameters were analyzed in all groups. Adverse effects of heat stress are registered by the decrease of villi height and total mucosal thickness in the intestinal epithelium; translocation of bacteria from the lumen; increased vesiculation of erythrocytes and elevation of the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) level in the blood. The protective efficacy of treatment is evaluated by prevention of these side effects. The protocol was set up for the oral treatment of rats with bacteria for prevention of heat stress complications, but this protocol can be modified and used for other routes of administration and for analysis of different compounds.

Mitigation of heat stress-related complications by a yeast fermentate product

Heat stress results in a multitude of biological and physiological responses which can become lethal if not properly managed. It has been shown that heat stress causes significant adverse effects in both human and animals. Different approaches have been proposed to mitigate the adverse effects caused by heat stress, among which are special diet and probiotics. We characterized the effect of the yeast fermentate EpiCor (EH) on the prevention of heat stress-related complications in rats. We found that increasing the body temperature of animals from 37.1±0.2 to 40.6±0.2°C by exposure to heat (45°C for 25min) resulted in significant morphological changes in the intestine. Villi height and total mucosal thickness decreased in heat-stressed rats pre-treated with PBS in comparison with control animals not exposed to the heat. Oral treatment of rats with EH before heat stress prevented the traumatic effects of heat on the intestine. Changes in intestinal morphology of heat-stressed rats, pre-treated with PBS resulted in significant elevation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) level in the serum of these animals. Pre-treatment with EH was effective in the prevention of LPS release into the bloodstream of heat-stressed rats. Our study revealed that elevation of body temperature also resulted in a significant increase of the concentration of vesicles released by erythrocytes in rats, pre-treated with PBS. This is an indication of a pathological impact of heat on the erythrocyte structure. Treatment of rats with EH completely protected their erythrocytes from this heat-induced pathology. Finally, exposure to heat stress conditions resulted in a significant increase of white blood cells in rats. In the group of animals pre-treated with EH before heat stress, the white blood cell count remained the same as in non-heated controls. These results showed the protective effect of the EH product in the prevention of complications, caused by heat stress.

PTU-164 Evidence Of Two Aetiologies Of Gastroesophageal Junctional Cancers Based On Gastric Parietal Cell Density

IntroductionSerum pepsinogen I:II ratio, a surrogate marker of atrophic gastritis, suggests that some adenocarcinomas at the gastroesophageal junction (GOJ) develop on a background of atrophic gastritis, similar to non-cardia gastric...

Sa1867 Evidence of Two Aetiologies of Gastroesophageal Junctional Cancers Based on Gastric Parietal Cell Density

Introduction Serum pepsinogen I:II ratio, a surrogate marker of atrophic gastritis, suggests that some adenocarcinomas at the gastroesophageal junction (GOJ) develop on a background of atrophic gastritis, similar to non-cardia gastric cancer, while others arise on a backgrounds of healthy, non-atrophic gastric mucosa similar to oesophageal adenocarcinoma. In this current study, we have directly the background gastric body mucosa in patients with junctional adenocarcinomas compared to oesophageal adenocarcinomas and non-cardia gastric cancers. Methods 127 gastrectomy and oesophagectomy specimens for adenocarcinoma were identified for which clear topographic description allowed assignment to oesophageal, junctional (including cardia) and gastric non-cardia locations. In these gastric body mucosa specimens, well clear of the tumour margin, parietal cells were immunostained using anti- H + /K + ATPase. Parietal cell density was counted in 3 to 5 well-oriented fields (1 mm 2 each) and expressed as mean parietal cell number per 1 mm 2 area. Total mucosal thickness, glandular thickness, intestinal metaplasia, inflammation indicated by polymorphonuclear (PMN) and mononuclear (MN) cells and reactive atypia (RA) were also scored. Non-parametric statistics were used to compare distributions. Results Ten (8%) cases lacked well-orientated blocks of body mucosa. The remaining 117 patients included 34 oesophageal, 52 GOJ and 31 non-cardia gastric adenocarcinomas. Median (IQR) parietal cell densities were 836 (173), 602 (389) and 411 (334) per mm 2 in gastric mucosa of oesophageal, GOJ and gastric cancers, respectively (all differences P 2 , 85% of oesophageal adenocarcinomas had a higher and 84% of non-cardia gastric cancers had a lower values. With the same cut-off, 50% of GOJ adenocarcinomas were gastric and remaining was oesophageal in origin. Glandular mucosa was thicker in patients with GOJ cancer compared to gastric (0.735 vs. 0.600, p = 0.005) and thinner than oesophageal cancer (0.735 vs. 0.900, p Conclusion This study provides direct evidence for marked differences in the gastric mucosal phenotype in the patients with oesophageal versus gastric non-cardia cancer, with the former being healthy and uninflamed, but the latter atrophic and inflamed. The background gastric mucosa of GOJ cancer supported them being two distinct aetiologies, one group resembling oesophageal adenocarcinoma and other gastric non-cardia cancer. Disclosure of Interest None Declared.

Effects of melatonin on bacterial translocation in an experimental short bowel syndrome

The most important reasons for morbidity and mortality in short bowel syndrome (SBS) are septic complications. There is no specific treatment to prevent bacterial translocation (BT) which causes these complications. Melatonin is proven to have positive effects on the gastrointestinal system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exogenously administered melatonin on BT in SBS. Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups. In control groups, the rats underwent laparotomy (Group I, Control + saline, n = 5), (Group II, Control + Melatonin, n = 5, 20 mg/kg, A°M). In Sham groups, the rats underwent ileal transection (Group III, Sham + Saline, n = 8), (Group IV, Sham + Melatonin, n = 8). In SBS groups, the rats underwent 75% small bowel resection (Group V, SBS + Saline, n = 12), (Group VI, SBS + Melatonin, n = 12). Histopathological and microbiological studies were performed at the 3rd postoperative day. No difference was detected in sites of BT and colony numbers between the various groups. BT was more common in SBS groups than sham groups. However, melatonin administered rats were observed to have decreased the BT rates as compared to their control groups. The number of Kupffer cells in the liver decreased in the ongoing surgery groups while melatonin administration, on the other hand, increased Kupffer cells. Sinusoids were observed to expand due to the surgical operation, while melatonin administration increased parenchymal areas in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN). In SBS + Melatonin group, there were increased villus heights and total mucosal thickness than those of the control and sham groups. This study demonstrated that melatonin can ensure protection against BT in SBS as it contributes to the maintenance of immune defensive mechanisms and increases intestinal adaptive response. Key words: Bacterial translocation, short bowel syndrome, experimental, melatonin.

Radiological examinations of the anatomy of the inferior turbinate using digital volume tomography (DVT)

Since the last 120 years there were only few descriptions of the anatomical sizes of the inferior turbinate in the literature. On this background the current study should evaluate the radiological dimensions of the inferior turbinate and the septum using DVT. The latest generation of the Accu-I-tomo was used. The data of 100 adult patients have been evaluated. The bony length was found to be 38.9 mm, the mucosal length 51.0 mm. The findings of the total mucosal thickness at different measuring points were between 8.1 mm and 10.9 mm, those of the bony thickness were between 0.9 mm and 2.3 mm and those of the bony height were between 3.9 mm and 20.8 mm. The results of this radiological study are able to point out the importance of preoperative anatomical evaluation of radiological images. The preoperative focus on the individual anatomy is very important because of the choice of an adequate surgical treatment. Today new radiological techniques can help to find out whether the reason for hypertrophied turbinates is caused by bone, mucosa or both. This knowledge enables a concerted treatment concept.

Qualitative and quantitative alterations in the parietal cell domain in chronic gastritis

Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) is not an optimal stain to discriminate between parietal and chief cells in gastric biopsies; modified Giemsa (G) and toluidine blue (TB) were found more suitable stains to characterize these two cell phenotypes. Sixty-eight well-oriented sections from the fundic mucosa were stained with H&E, and with G or TB. With G or TB the normal fundic mucosa clearly displayed a parietal cell domain (PCD) and a chief-cell domain (CCD). The continuity of these two cell domains was assessed in the entire section at ×4 magnification and the thickness of the PCD. The total mucosal thickness (TMT) was measured in three different HPF at ×20 magnifications. Qualitative observations indicated that the PCD and CCD were (a) continuous in normal fundic mucosa or having slight chronic gastritis, (b) fragmented in moderate chronic gastritis, in focal glandular atrophy or focal IM or (c) absent in severe chronic gastritis, including autoimmune gastritis and extensive IM. Quantitative measurements showed that the thickness of the PCD in chronic gastritis could be (a) normal, (b) reduced by partial destruction of the parietal cell population by chronic inflammation, or (c) absent, in extensive IM or total glandular atrophy (p < 0.05). Toluidine blue gave a better contrast between the two cell phenotypes than modified Giemsa stain. Future studies might elucidate whether qualitative and quantitative studies of toluidine blue-stained sections of the fundic mucosa are useful in monitoring the results of therapy in individual patients with chronic gastritis.

Administration of Chlorella sp. microalgae reduces endotoxemia, intestinal oxidative stress and bacterial translocation in experimental biliary obstruction

Endotoxemia has long been documented in obstructive jaundice, and altered intestinal barrier function is considered to be one of the important mechanisms for this phenomenon. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of different microalgae (Chlorella sp. and Spirulina sp.) extracts in intestinal barrier function and oxidative stress in experimentally jaundiced rats. A total of 60 male wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of 15 each: I, sham operated; II, bile duct ligation (BDL); III, BDL+Chlorella sp.; IV, BDL+Spirulina sp. Rats were fed rat chow or microalgae extracts supplemented enteral diet ten days after sham operation or BDL. Main outcome measures were endotoxin concentrations in plasma, evidence of bacterial translocation (BT) in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) and liver, oxidative stress, and histology. Compared to the group I, a significant increase in contamined MLNs, liver, and spleen samples and increased endotoxemia were noted in group II (P<0.01) but were significant reduced in group III (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in BT rate between the group II and group IV (P>0.05). Moreover, Chlorella sp. administration protected in jaundiced rats against oxidative stress, as demonstrated by reduction of intestinal lipid peroxidation, increase of the antioxidant reduced glutathione (GSH), and decrease of the oxidized glutathione (GSSG). The intestinal mucosa in control rats was atrophic with significantly decreased villous density and total mucosal thickness. Chlorella sp. caused a significant reduction in villous atrophy compared with controls. Chlorella sp. microalgae supplemented enteral diet has significant protective effects on intestinal mucosa barrier in obstructive jaundice, and reduces intestinal translocation of bacteria and endotoxin.

Sulphomucin Expression in Ileal Pouches: Emerging Differences Between Ulcerative Colitis and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Pouches

We characterized the expression of sialomucin and sulphomucin in pouches fashioned for familial adenomatous polyposis and ulcerative colitis. We correlated sulphomucin expression with bacterial colonization and mucosal inflammation. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. Mucosal biopsies from 9 patients with familial adenomatous polyposis and 12 with ulcerative colitis were obtained. Sulphomucin levels were assessed by using the high iron-diamine stain. Mucous gel layer composition was correlated with villous height, crypt depth, and total mucosal thickness. Mucous gel layer composition was correlated with acute and chronic inflammatory infiltrates. Colonization by a panel of seven bacterial species (including sulphate reducing bacteria) was established and correlated with sulphomucin levels. High-iron-diamine positivity (i.e., sulphomucin expression) was greater in ulcerative colitis pouch mucous gel (2.083 +/- 0.5 vs. 0.556 +/- 0.4, P = 0.003). Sulphomucin expression correlated with reduced crypt depth, villous height, and total mucosal thickness. In the ulcerative colitis group, chronic inflammatory infiltrate scores were significantly greater for high-iron-diamine-positive patients. Colonization by sulphate reducing bacteria was increased in high-iron-diamine-positive patients. Sulphomucin expression is increased in the mucous gel layer of the ulcerative colitis pouch compared with that of the familial adenomatous polyposis pouch. Sulphomucin expression is associated with colonization by sulphate-reducing bacteria and increased chronic inflammation.