Glucagon-like Peptide-2 Acutely Enhances Chylomicron Secretion in Humans Without Mobilizing Cytoplasmic Lipid Droplets.

Context: A portion of ingested fats are retained in the intestine for many hours before they are mobilized and secreted in chylomicron (CM) particles. Factors such as glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) and glucose can mobilize these stored intestinal lipids and enhance CM secretion. We have recently demonstrated in rodents that GLP-2 acutely enhances CM secretion by mechanisms that do not involve the canonical CM synthetic assembly and secretory pathways.

Oral Glucose Mobilizes Triglyceride Stores From the Human Intestine.

Background & Aims: The small intestine regulates plasma triglyceride (TG) concentration. Within enterocytes, dietary TGs are packaged into chylomicrons (CMs) for secretion or stored temporarily in cytoplasmic lipid droplets (CLDs) until further mobilization. We and others have shown that oral and intravenous glucose enhances CM particle secretion in human beings, however, the mechanisms through which this occurs are incompletely understood.

Three atypical cases of Wilson disease: assessment of the Leipzig scoring system in making a diagnosis.

Background/aims: The diagnosis of this condition in the absence of any neurological findings may pose a dilemma. In 2001, experts from The 8th International Conference on Wilson disease (WD) and Menkes disease in Leipzig, Germany proposed a scoring system that may facilitate diagnosis of WD.

Methods/results: Three patients were identified as having an atypical presentation of WD as they all presented after the age 40.

Distinguishing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis from fatty liver: serum-free fatty acids, insulin resistance, and serum lipoproteins.

Objectives: The prognosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is determined by liver biopsy; steatohepatitis can be progressive whereas fatty liver is benign. Insulin resistance and increased hepatic-free fatty acids are central to the pathophysiology of this disorder. Our objective was to assess whether serum-free fatty acids, lipoproteins, and insulin resistance are increased in steatohepatitis compared with fatty liver and healthy controls, and thus may be potential noninvasive markers for liver disease severity.

Successful treatment of cap polyposis with infliximab.

Cap polyposis is a disorder characterized by bloody diarrhea with rectosigmoid polyps covered by a cap of fibropurulent exudate. The pathogenesis is unknown, but histological features suggest that mucosal prolapse may play a role. Drug therapies are usually unsuccessful, and treatment requires sigmoid resection or, if the disease recurs after initial surgical resection, panproctocolectomy.

Necrotizing glomerulonephritis caused by Bartonella henselae endocarditis.

Glomerulonephritis secondary to endocarditis is uncommon and usually associated with valvular infection by blood culture-positive bacteria. We report 3 cases of necrotizing glomerulonephritis associated with culture-negative endocarditis caused by Bartonella henselae. Two of the patients presented with renal abnormalities and were investigated for endocarditis after results of renal biopsy.