Ex Vivo Intestinal Sacs to Assess Mucosal Permeability in Models of Gastrointestinal Disease

The epithelial barrier is the first innate defense of the gastrointestinal tract and selectively regulates transport from the lumen to the underlying tissue compartments, restricting the transport of smaller molecules across the epithelium and almost completely prohibiting epithelial macromolecular transport. This selectivity is determined by the mucous gel layer, which limits the transport of lipophilic molecules and both the apical receptors and tight junctional protein complexes of the epithelium. In vitro cell culture models of the epithelium are convenient, but as a model, they lack the complexity of interactions between the microbiota, mucous-gel, epithelium and immune system. On the other hand, in vivo assessment of intestinal absorption or permeability may be performed, but these assays measure overall gastrointestinal absorption, with no indication of site specificity. Ex vivo permeability assays using "intestinal sacs" are a rapid and sensitive method of measuring either overall intestinal integrity or comparative transport of a specific molecule, with the added advantage of intestinal site specificity. Here we describe the preparation of intestinal sacs for permeability studies and the calculation of the apparent permeability (P_app)of a molecule across the intestinal barrier. This technique may be used as a method of assessing drug absorption, or to examine regional epithelial barrier dysfunction in animal models of gastrointestinal disease.     

Intestinal Microbiota in Early Life and Its Implications on Childhood Health

Trillions of microbes reside in the human body and participate in multiple physiological and pathophysiological processes that affect host health throughout the life cycle. The microbiome is hallmarked by distinctive compositional and functional features across different life periods.Accumulating evidence has shown that microbes residing in the human body may play fundamental roles in infant development and the maturation of the immune system. Gut microbes are thought to be essential for the facilitation of infantile and childhood development and immunity by assisting in breaking down food substances to liberate nutrients, protecting against pathogens, stimulating or modulating the immune system, and exerting control over the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.This review aims to summarize the current understanding of the colonization and development of the gut microbiota in early life, highlighting the recent findings regarding the role of intestinal microbes in pediatric diseases. Furthermore, we also discuss the microbiota-mediated therapeutics that can reconfigure bacterial communities to treat dysbiosis.     

Metabonomics of mice intestine in Codonopsis foetens induced apoptosis of intestine cancer cells

Intestinal cancer is a disease with high morbidity and high mortality in China. Previous studies have shown that Codonopsis foetens can inhibit cellular autophagy and promote the apoptosis of intestine cancer cells. Based on metabolomics method coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technology, we aimed to analyze intestinal small molecule metabolites in the intestinal cancer model group and the Codonopsis foetens treated group. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares (PLS-DA) were used to identify the pattern of the data. And the metabolic characteristics of the cancer model group were explored based on the metabolic differences between the groups. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that metabolites presented with differences included: Acetamide, Phosphoric acid, Hydrogen sulfite, Pyruvic acid, Cytosine, 2-Hydroxypyridine, Phosphoric acid, Uracil, Gamma-Aminobutyric acid, Glycerol alpha-monochlorohydrin, Thiosulfic acid, L-Valine, Cysteamine, Taurine, Creatine, Homocysteine, Hypoxanthine, Se-Methylselenocysteine, 5-Hydroxymethyluracil, Oxoglutaric acid, LysoPC(20:0), LysoPC(22:4(7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z)), LysoPC(18:2(9Z,12Z)), LysoPC(16:1(9Z)), LysoPE(0:0/16:0), LysoPE(0:0/18:2(9Z,12Z)), LysoPE(18:0/0:0), LysoPE(20:1(11Z)/0:0), etc. Combined with metabolic pathway analysis, pathways presented with differences included: Citrate cycle (TCA cycle), ABC transporters, 2-Oxocarboxylic acid metabolism, Taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, Butanoate metabolism), Phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, Biosynthesis of amino acids, Protein digestion and absorption, Aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, C5-Branched dibasic acid metabolism, GABAergic synapse, Proximal tubule bicarbonate reclamation, Mineral absorption, Phenylalanine metabolism. The results showed that the proliferation of intestinal cancer cells caused cell metabolism disorders, manifesting as changes in metabolic pathways and resulting in changes in metabolites.     

Bovine colostrum promoted ileal health in newborn lambs at 24 h after birth: insight from intestinal morphology and innate immunity

The contribution of colostrum to passive immunity transfer and intestinal protection in newborn ruminants is well known; however, it is currently unclear how colostrum intake affects intestinal innate immunity. We investigated the effects of bovine colostrum intake on ileal morphology, expression of genes involved in intestinal innate immunity, and serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in newborn lambs. Twenty-seven newborn male Hu lambs were used, of which 18 were bottle-fed either bovine colostrum (C24h; n = 9) or bovine mature milk (M24h; n = 9) within the first 2 h after birth at an intake of approximately 8% of BW; the remaining nine lambs did not receive any feeding (N24h). Blood and ileal tissue samples were collected after the lambs were slaughtered at 24 h after birth. Ileal villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio were significantly higher in C24h than those in N24h and M24h lambs (P < 0.01). Messenger RNA (mRNA) abundance of toll-like receptor (TLR)-2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR6, TLR7, TLR8 and tumour necrosis factor alpha in the ileum was lower in C24h than that in N24h lambs (P < 0.05). Moreover, C24h lambs had a lower TLR3 mRNA abundance (P < 0.01) and a trend of lower TLR6 (P = 0.06) and interleukin 1 beta (P = 0.08) expression compared with those in M24h lambs. We also observed strong positive correlations of tumour necrosis factor alpha expression with that of TLR2 (r = 0.71; P < 0.001), TLR4 (r = 0.88; P < 0.001) and TLR8 (r = 0.83; P < 0.001). Interestingly, the expression of barrier-related molecules, including mucin-13, lysozyme, claudin (CLDN)-1, CLDN2, CLDN4, CLDN7, CLDN12, occludin, zonula occluden-1 and junctional adhesion molecule-1, was consistently lower in C24h lambs than that in N24h and M24h lambs (P < 0.05). These results indicated that the beneficial roles of colostrum intake on intestinal protection in newborn lambs were associated with low TLR expression, which was reflected by improved intestinal development and reduced inflammatory response. Further studies using fluorescence in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemical methods are needed to further explore the mechanisms underlying the lower expression of intestinal barrier-related molecules due to colostrum feeding.     

DNA-methyltransferase activities in Streptomyces antibioticus

Abstract To quantitate ammonia production by the intestinal flora, ammonia levels in arterial blood and the venous effluent of the small and large bowel of conventional, selectively decontaminated, germ-free and gnotobiotic rats were measured.
When the anaerobic flora was removed by decontamination a significant decrease in ammonia levels was observed in the effluent of both the small and large intestine. Decontamination of aerobic flora did not result in depression of ammonia production. Gnotobiotic rats colonised with an anaerobic flora or with a mixed aerobic and anaerobic flora, showed a slight increase in ammonia levels. No increase in ammonia production was observed when rats were colonised with aerobic flora. These results indicate that the Enterobacteriaceae were not responsible for ammonia generation.
The increase in ammonia levels after colonisation with anaerobic or mixed anaerobic/aerobic flora did not completely restore ammonia levels, despite reaching bacterial counts which were comparable to those in conventional rats. This may be explained by the limited number of species with which the rats were colonized. The finding that aerobic flora does not significantly contribute to ammonia production suggests that neomycin, known to be exclusively effective against aerobic flora, must have other effects to explain improvement of hepatic encephalopathy.     

16S rDNA实时荧光定量PCR检测大蒜提取物对小鼠肠道菌群的调节作用

探究蒜氨酸、大蒜辣素、大蒜粉对小鼠肠道菌群的调节作用。

将SPF级C57BL/6J小鼠分为空白对照组、蒜氨酸组、大蒜辣素组和大蒜粉组, 每组10只。空白对照组小鼠灌服蒸馏水30 d, 蒜氨酸组、大蒜辣素组、大蒜粉组小鼠灌服不同浓度的受试物溶液30 d, 采用16S rDNA实时荧光定量PCR检测实验前后小鼠粪便样本中乳杆菌、双歧杆菌、肠杆菌、肠球菌、产气荚膜梭菌水平变化。

给药30 d后, 与空白对照组相比、实验前后自身对比, 蒜氨酸组、大蒜辣素组、大蒜粉组小鼠的肠杆菌、肠球菌水平无明显变化; 乳杆菌、双歧杆菌水平显著增加; 产气荚膜梭菌水平显著降低。

蒜氨酸、大蒜辣素、大蒜粉对肠道菌群具有有益的调节作用, 是一种良好的天然有益于肠道菌群的食品。

     

益生菌辅助四联疗法对H. pylori感染患者根治效果及肠道菌群的影响

研究益生菌辅助四联疗法对H. pylori感染患者根治效果及肠道菌群的影响。

选择2019年1月至2020年6月在我院接受治疗的160例H. pylori感染患者为研究对象,用随机数字表法分为对照组（n = 80）和观察组（n = 80）。对照组患者给予标准铋剂四联药物治疗,观察组加用双歧杆菌四联活菌片治疗。比较两组患者的H. pylori根除率、复发率、不良反应发生率、临床症状（上腹痛、上腹胀、嗳气、纳差）、肠道菌群（双歧杆菌、乳杆菌）和炎性因子[白细胞介素-6（IL-6）、白细胞介素-8（IL-8）及肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）]水平。

观察组患者的H. pylori根除率（95.00%）高于对照组（82.5%）,复发率和不良反应发生率低于对照组（均P＜0.05）。治疗后两组患者的临床症状积分均显著下降,同时观察组患者上腹痛、上腹胀、嗳气、纳差等临床症状积分低于对照组（均P＜0.05）。治疗后观察组患者肠道双歧杆菌和乳杆菌数量升高,而对照组降低,同时观察组患者肠道双歧杆菌和乳杆菌数量高于对照组（均P＜0.05）。治疗后观察组患者IL-6、IL-8和TNF-α水平均低于对照组（均P＜0.05）。

双歧杆菌四联活菌片辅助标准铋剂四联疗法治疗可显著提高H. pylori感染患者H. pylori根除率,降低复发率和不良反应的发生率,改善肠道菌群分布,减轻患者的临床症状和炎症状态。

     

应用PCR-DGGE法评价石斛多糖对肠道微生态失调的调节作用

目的 从微生态学角度研究石斛多糖治疗肠道微生态失调小鼠的作用及初步机制.方法 盐酸林可霉素灌胃制备肠道菌群失调小鼠模型,应用石斛多糖进行治疗,同时设正常对照组、丽珠肠乐组、阴性对照组,给药7d后处死小鼠,应用PCR-DGGE法检测肠道菌群丰富度、血清IL-2.结果 应用盐酸林可霉素灌胃3d后,小鼠肠道菌群丰富度、血清IL-2降低,持续治疗7d后,石斛多糖治疗小鼠肠道菌群丰富度、血清IL-2增高.结论 石斛多糖具有扶植肠道正常菌群生长,调整菌群失调,提高机体免疫力的作用.     

腹腔镜监控肠镜下（LMCP）息肉摘除术对比常规肠镜下息肉切除的随机对照临床研究

目的:探讨腹腔镜监控下的肠息肉摘除术(LMCP)治疗效果,比较LMCP肠息肉摘除术对比常规肠镜下息肉切除的临床治疗效果及预后情况。方法:将符合条件的所有手术患者随机分为两组,每组各41例,其中试验组使用腹腔镜监控下结肠镜息肉摘除术,对照组单纯使用肠镜行息肉切除术。所有病人均观察并记录其预后情况。结果:研究共纳入82例病人,男53例,女29例,平均年龄70岁。息肉平均大小为2.0 cm。所有患者术后无并发症。试验组和对照组的第一次通便时间分别为13.2 h和24.5h,统计学具有显著性差异P<0.001,风险比为1.81,95%置信区间为[1.13-3.00]。试验组和对照组的总住院天数分别为4.5天和8.0天,统计学具有显著性差异P<0.001,风险比为4.15,置信区间95%CI为[2.40-7.18]。结论:LMCP术对病人具有显著的获益,可以避免不必要的并发症,手术操作更安全。因此,LMCP是一种安全有效的方法,并且创伤更小,住院周期更短,是息肉切除术首选的方法。