Lipoprotein Lipase Up-regulation in Hepatic Stellate Cells Exacerbates Liver Fibrosis in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Mice.

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) plays a central role in incorporating plasma lipids into tissues and regulates lipid metabolism and energy balance in the human body. Conversely, LPL expression is almost absent in normal adult livers. Therefore, its physiological role in the liver remains unknown.

Chitinase 3-like 1 deficiency ameliorates liver fibrosis by promoting hepatic macrophage apoptosis.

Aim: Chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1), an 18-glycosyl hydrolase-related molecule, is a member of the enzymatically inactive chitinase-like protein family. Serum levels of CHI3L1 are strongly correlated with hepatic fibrosis progression during many liver diseases. Therefore, this protein could be involved in the development of hepatic fibrosis pathology; however, its role has not been elucidated.

Nicotine treatment ameliorates DSS-induced colitis by suppressing MAdCAM-1 expression and leukocyte recruitment.

The enhanced recruitment of leukocytes to the inflamed colon is a key feature of ulcerative colitis (UC). The gut-specific adhesion molecules involved in leukocyte recruitment have emerged as recent therapeutic targets. Nicotine absorbed from smoking has been reported to work protectively in UC patients.

Aromatherapies using Osmanthus fragrans oil and grapefruit oil are effective complementary treatments for anxious patients undergoing colonoscopy: A randomized controlled study.

Background And Aims: Colonoscopy can be painful and uncomfortable. Aromatherapy is often used for the relief of anxiety or discomfort. Recently, it has been reported that olfactory stimulation induces various physiological effects.

Platelet interaction with lymphatics aggravates intestinal inflammation by suppressing lymphangiogenesis.

Lymphatic failure is a histopathological feature of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Recent studies show that interaction between platelets and podoplanin on lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) suppresses lymphangiogenesis. We aimed to investigate the role of platelets in the inflammatory process of colitis, which is likely to be through modulation of lymphangiogenesis.

IL-6 Mediates the Intestinal Microvascular Thrombosis Associated with Experimental Colitis.

Inflammatory bowel diseases are associated with increased risk for thrombus formation both within the inflamed bowel and at distant sites. Although the increased propensity for distant organ thrombus development has been recapitulated in animal models of colitis and linked to interleukin-6 (IL-6), it remains unclear whether experimental colitis results in accelerated thrombus development within the inflamed bowel and whether IL-6 contributes to a local thrombogenic response. These issues related to thrombus formation within the inflamed bowel were addressed in mice with dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis.

Trans fatty acids in diets act as a precipitating factor for gut inflammation?

Fatty acids in our daily diet are broadly classified into cis and trans fatty acids (TFAs). TFAs are formed during the manufacturing process of hydrogenated vegetable oils such as margarine. Modern diets such as deep-fried products, frozen foods, and packaged snacks commonly include large quantities of margarine containing TFAs.

Phlebosclerotic colitis that was difficult to distinguish from collagenous colitis.

Phlebosclerotic colitis is a rare and recently known disease entity and its etiology is still to be elucidated. Some phlebosclerotic colitis cases are difficult to distinguish from collagenous colitis because of the similarity of pathological findings. In all Japanese case reports of phlebosclerotic colitis in which an association with the use of Chinese herbal medicine is suspected, sansisi (gardenia fruit) was included, suggesting pathogenesis of this disease.

1,4-Dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid from Propionibacterium freudenreichii reduces inflammation in interleukin-10-deficient mice with colitis by suppressing macrophage-derived proinflammatory cytokines.

The anti-inflammatory mechanism of prebiotics has recently been shown to have an impact on the host immune system. DHNA from Propionibacterium freudenreichii is known to promote the proliferation of Bifidobacterium and can ameliorate colitis, although its mode of action remains unknown. In this study, we investigated whether DHNA attenuates inflammation in piroxicam-treated IL-10(-/-) mice, particularly focusing on the changes of the host immune mechanism.

Prevalence of serum celiac antibody in patients with IBD in Japan.

Background: Although the incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in Japan has increased, the prevalence of celiac disease is considered very low with the lowest genetic disposition. IBD is reported as the most common comorbidity because of the high positive rate of serological celiac markers. The aim of this study was to examine the current incidence of celiac disease, especially in IBD patients in Japan, where both wheat consumption and incidence of IBD have increased.

Involvement of autotaxin/lysophospholipase D expression in intestinal vessels in aggravation of intestinal damage through lymphocyte migration.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) has a critical role in lymphocyte migration to secondary lymphoid organs. Autotaxin (ATX)/lysophospholipase D, in the vascular endothelium, is the main enzyme involved in LPA production. Whether ATX is involved in pathological lymphocyte migration to the inflamed mucosa has not been studied.

Endoscopic finding of spontaneous hemorrhage correlates with tumor necrosis factor alpha expression in colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an intractable colonic disease, and it shows several endoscopic findings. Recently, it was reported that the expression level of mucosal tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was useful for predicting patient response to infliximab. However, no data regarding the value of endoscopic findings to predict treatment efficacy or cytokine expression level exist.

Dietary lipids and sweeteners regulate glucagon-like peptide-2 secretion.

Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) is a potent intestinal growth factor derived from enteroendocrine L cells. Although food intake is known to increase GLP-2 secretion, its regulatory mechanisms are largely unknown as a result of its very short half-life in venules. The aims of this study were to compare the effects of luminal nutrients on the stimulation of GLP-2 secretion in vivo using lymph samples and to clarify the involvement of the sweet taste receptor in this process in vitro.

HIF-1 in T cells ameliorated dextran sodium sulfate-induced murine colitis.

HIF-1 is active in hypoxia, such as inflamed mucosa, and HIF-1 in epithelium has been reported to control inflamed mucosa in IBD models. Although T cells play an important role for pathogenesis of IBD, the function of HIF-1 in T cells remains to be elucidated. We aimed to clarify the function of HIF-1 in T cells in IBD with focus on the balance between Treg and Teff.

Physiological stress exacerbates murine colitis by enhancing proinflammatory cytokine expression that is dependent on IL-18.

Psychological stress is an environmental factor considered to be a precipitating factor of inflammatory bowel disease. Interleukin (IL)-18 plays a role in stress-induced aggravation in some diseases. The aim of this study was to establish a model of murine colitis exacerbated by psychological stress and to clarify the role of IL-18 in this model.

A case of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas rupturing both the stomach and duodenum.

Background: Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas may extend to other organs. However, it is rare for a histopathologically benign IPMN to rupture other organs, particularly multiple organs. There has been no report of a benign IPMN rupturing both the stomach and duodenum.