Effect of increased bile acid synthesis or fecal excretion in irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhea.

Objectives: Approximately 25% of patients with irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhea (IBS-D) have increased total fecal bile acids (BA) and serum C4 (surrogate for BA synthesis). BA synthesis-related genes (KLB and FGFR4) are associated with colonic transit (CT) in IBS-D. Our aims were: (i) to compare phenotype and pathophysiology in IBS-D patients with increased or normal fecal excretion or synthesis of BA; and (ii) to explore association of variations in two candidate bile-acid synthesis genes (KLB and FGFR4) in these two subgroups of IBS-D.

Genetic variation in GPBAR1 predisposes to quantitative changes in colonic transit and bile acid excretion.

The pathobiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is multifaceted. We aimed to identify candidate genes predisposing to quantitative traits in IBS. In 30 healthy volunteers, 30 IBS-constipation, and 64 IBS-diarrhea patients, we measured bowel symptoms, bile acid (BA) synthesis (serum 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one and FGF19), fecal BA and fat, colonic transit (CT by scintigraphy), and intestinal permeability (IP by 2-sugar excretion).

Small intestinal permeability in patients with eosinophilic oesophagitis during active phase and remission.

Background: Eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) is presumed to be an isolated oesophageal disease; yet other allergic diseases associated with eosinophilic infiltration of target tissues, such as asthma and eczema, show perturbed functions of other sites that may be involved in the diathesis of allergy modulation.

Aim: To analyse small intestinal permeability in patients with active EoE and in a separate group of patients in remission.

Methods: Small bowel permeability was determined using a dual sugar method by calculating lactulose:mannitol (L:M) ratio in 17 patients who met consensus criteria for active EoE (>15 eos/HPF) and 8 patients in remission (<5 eos/HPF).

Lactulose: mannitol diagnostic test by HPLC and LC-MSMS platforms: considerations for field studies of intestinal barrier function and environmental enteropathy.

Objectives: The lactulose:mannitol (L:M) diagnostic test is frequently used in field studies of environmental enteropathy (EE); however, heterogeneity in test administration and disaccharide measurement has limited the comparison of results between studies and populations. We aim to assess the agreement between L:M measurement between high-performance liquid chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPLC-PAD) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MSMS) platforms.

Methods: The L:M test was administered in a cohort of Peruvian infants considered at risk for EE.

A controlled trial of gluten-free diet in patients with irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhea: effects on bowel frequency and intestinal function.

Background & Aims: Patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) could benefit from a gluten-free diet (GFD).

Methods: We performed a randomized controlled 4-week trial of a gluten-containing diet (GCD) or GFD in 45 patients with IBS-D; genotype analysis was performed for HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8. Twenty-two patients were placed on the GCD (11 HLA-DQ2/8 negative and 11 HLA-DQ2/8 positive) and 23 patients were placed on the GFD (12 HLA-DQ2/8 negative and 11 HLA-DQ2/8 positive).

Association of HLA-DQ gene with bowel transit, barrier function, and inflammation in irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with diarrhea (IBS-D) carrying human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQ2/8 genotypes benefit from gluten withdrawal. Our objective was to compare gastrointestinal barrier function, mucosal inflammation, and transit in nonceliac IBS-D patients and assess association with HLA-DQ2/8 status. In 45 IBS-D patients who were naive to prior exclusion of dietary gluten, we measured small bowel (SB) and colonic mucosal permeability by cumulative urinary lactulose and mannitol excretion (0-2 h for SB and 8-24 h for colon), inflammation on duodenal and rectosigmoid mucosal biopsies (obtained in 28 of 45 patients), tight junction (TJ) protein mRNA and protein expression in SB and rectosigmoid mucosa, and gastrointestinal and colonic transit by validated scintigraphy.

Increased bile acid biosynthesis is associated with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.

Background & Aims: Variations in genes that regulate bile acid (BA) synthesis are associated with colonic transit in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We investigated features of BA synthesis and excretion and genetic features of patients with different types of IBS.

Methods: In 26 healthy volunteers, 26 patients with IBS and constipation (IBS-C), and 26 with IBS and diarrhea (IBS-D), we measured serum levels of 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one (C4; a surrogate for BA synthesis) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 19 (an ileal hormone that downregulates BA synthesis).

Urine sugars for in vivo gut permeability: validation and comparisons in irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhea and controls.

Mucosal barrier dysfunction contributes to gastrointestinal diseases. Our aims were to validate urine sugar excretion as an in vivo test of small bowel (SB) and colonic permeability and to compare permeability in patients with irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhea (IBS-D) to positive and negative controls. Oral lactulose (L) and mannitol (M) were administered with (99m)Tc-oral solution, (111)In-oral delayed-release capsule, or directly into the ascending colon (only in healthy controls).

Chenodeoxycholate in females with irritable bowel syndrome-constipation: a pharmacodynamic and pharmacogenetic analysis.

Background & Aims: Sodium chenodeoxycholate (CDC) accelerates colonic transit in health. Our aim was to examine pharmacodynamics (colonic transit, bowel function) and pharmacogenetics of CDC in constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C).

Methods: In a double-blind placebo-controlled study, 36 female patients with IBS-C were randomized to treatment with delayed-release oral formulations of placebo, 500 mg CDC, or 1000 mg CDC for 4 days.

Effects of chenodeoxycholate and a bile acid sequestrant, colesevelam, on intestinal transit and bowel function.

Background & Aims: Di-alpha hydroxy bile salt, sodium chenodeoxycholate (CDC), and bile acid binding have unclear effects on colonic transit in health and disease.

Methods: We performed 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. In healthy volunteers (20 per group), we evaluated the effects of oral placebo, 500 mg, or 1000 mg of CDC (delayed-release, each given for 4 days) on gastrointestinal and colonic transit.

Regulation of bone turnover by sex steroids in men.

Introduction: The mechanism(s) by which sex steroids regulate bone turnover in humans are unclear, and recent studies have suggested that follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) may play an important role in regulating bone resorption.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-nine men (median age, 69 yr) underwent suppression of sex steroids using a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist and aromatase blocker and were replaced with testosterone (T; 5 mg/d) and estradiol (E; 37.5 microg/d).

Circulating osteoblast-lineage cells in humans.

Background: Although current evidence suggests that only a minuscule number of osteoblast-lineage cells are present in peripheral blood, we hypothesized that such cells circulate but that their concentration has been vastly underestimated owing to the use of assays that required adherence to plastic. We further reasoned that the concentration of these cells is elevated during times of increased bone formation, such as during pubertal growth.

Methods: We used flow cytometry with antibodies to bone-specific proteins to identify circulating osteoblast-lineage cells in 11 adolescent males and 11 adult males (mean [+/-SD] age, 14.