The TGFβ1 Promoter SNP C-509T and Food Sensitization Promote Esophageal Remodeling in Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic antigen mediated disease associated with substantial esophageal remodeling and fibrosis. The functional TGFβ1 promoter SNP C-509 associates with renal fibrosis and asthma. The effect of TGFβ1 genotype and EoE severity or potential gene-environment interactions have not been previously reported in EoE.

Long-term assessment of esophageal remodeling in patients with pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis treated with topical corticosteroids.

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic TH2 inflammatory disease characterized by tissue remodeling that leads to esophageal strictures and food impactions. Effects of therapy on long-term remodeling in patients with pediatric eosinophil-associated diseases have not been previously described.

Objective: We sought to understand the long-term control of esophageal remodeling in patients with EoE.

Drosophila muller f elements maintain a distinct set of genomic properties over 40 million years of evolution.

The Muller F element (4.2 Mb, ~80 protein-coding genes) is an unusual autosome of Drosophila melanogaster; it is mostly heterochromatic with a low recombination rate. To investigate how these properties impact the evolution of repeats and genes, we manually improved the sequence and annotated the genes on the D.

Cholinergic systems are essential for late-stage maturation and refinement of motor cortical circuits.

Previous studies reported that early postnatal cholinergic lesions severely perturb early cortical development, impairing neuronal cortical migration and the formation of cortical dendrites and synapses. These severe effects of early postnatal cholinergic lesions preclude our ability to understand the contribution of cholinergic systems to the later-stage maturation of topographic cortical representations. To study cholinergic mechanisms contributing to the later maturation of motor cortical circuits, we first characterized the temporal course of cortical motor map development and maturation in rats.

TGF-β1-induced phospholamban expression alters esophageal smooth muscle cell contraction in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis.

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic antigen-mediated disease characterized by esophageal eosinophilia, remodeling, and fibrosis. TGF-β1 is a central regulator of EoE remodeling and increases esophageal smooth muscle (ESM) cell contraction.

Objective: In this study we aimed to understand the molecular mechanisms by which TGF-β1 could induce ESM cell contraction.

Anti-IL-5 therapy reduces mast cell and IL-9 cell numbers in pediatric patients with eosinophilic esophagitis.

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a clinicopathologic entity of increasing worldwide prevalence. IL-5 is essential for eosinophil trafficking, and anti-IL-5 therapy decreases esophageal eosinophilia. EoE is associated with prominent mast cell infiltration.