Technical Advance: Function and efficacy of an {alpha}4-integrin antagonist using bioluminescence imaging to detect leukocyte trafficking in murine experimental colitis.

Leukocyte trafficking is a therapeutic target in IBD. The integrins α₄β and α₄β₁ regulate leukocyte migration into tissues and lymphoid organs. Current strategies rely on biologics, such as mAb, to inhibit leukocyte recruitment.

Characterization of a calcitonin gene-related peptide release assay in rat isolated distal colon.

The release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) plays a key role gastrointestinal tract homeostasis. We aimed to investigate mechanisms that mediate CGRP release from the rat colon in vitro. Colon segments were stimulated and the amount of CGRP released was measured using an enzyme immunoassay.

Targeting gut T cell Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channels inhibits T cell cytokine production and T-box transcription factor T-bet in inflammatory bowel disease.

Prolonged Ca(2+) entry through Ca(2+) release-activated Ca(2+) (CRAC) channels is crucial in activating the Ca(2+)-sensitive transcription factor NFAT, which is responsible for directing T cell proliferation and cytokine gene expression. To establish whether targeting CRAC might counteract intestinal inflammation, we evaluated the in vitro effect of a selective CRAC inhibitor on T cell cytokine production and T-bet expression by lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMC) and biopsy specimens from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. The inhibitory activity of the CRAC blocker was investigated through patch-clamp experiments on rat basophilic leukemia cells and fluorometric imaging plate reader intracellular Ca(2+) assays using thapsigargin-stimulated Jurkat T cells and its detailed selectivity profile defined using a range of in vitro radioligand binding and functional assays.

Validation of a conscious rat model for the discovery of novel agents that inhibit gastric acid secretion.

Identification of novel drug molecules requires the extensive evaluation in vitro and in vivo. Following in vitro evaluation it is necessary to efficiently screen numerous novel molecules in vivo using relatively simple methodology that requires small numbers of animals, is rapid to perform, and provides results that can definitely discriminate potential candidates for further investigation. Herein, we describe the results of three standard compounds (omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor; cimetidine, an histamine H(2) receptor antagonist; and AR-H047108, a potassium competitive acid blocker) in the rat aspiration model (under both basal and stimulated conditions), and compared the effects with those in the pyloric ligation model with a view to comparing the results in terms of sensitivity, robustness and simplicity of the methodology.

Dual role of 5-HT3 receptors in a rat model of delayed stress-induced visceral hyperalgesia.

Despite its beneficial effect in IBS patients, the mechanism of action of the 5-HT3 receptor (5-HT3R) antagonist alosetron is still incompletely understood. We aimed to characterize the effect and site(s) of action in a model of stress-induced sensitization of visceral nociception in rats. Adult male Wistar rats were equipped for recording of visceromotor response (VMR) to phasic colorectal distension (CRD; 10-60 mmHg).

5-HT in the enteric nervous system: gut function and neuropharmacology.

In recent times, the perception of functional gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has shifted fundamentally. Such disorders are now thought of as serious diseases characterized by perturbations in the neuronal regulation of gastrointestinal function. The concept of visceral hypersensitivity, the characterization of neuronal networks in the 'brain-gut axis' and the identification of several novel 5-HT-mediated mechanisms have contributed to this shift.

Effects of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, alosetron, in a rat model of somatic and visceral hyperalgesia.

Conflicting results exist regarding the role of 5-HT3 receptors in somatic and visceral nociceptive processing. We aimed to investigate the effects of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, alosetron, in a rat model of somatic and visceral hyperalgesia. Two injections (100 microl) of either pH 4.

Antiinflammatory activity of soluble guanylate cyclase: cGMP-dependent down-regulation of P-selectin expression and leukocyte recruitment.

Nitric oxide (NO) production by the vascular endothelium maintains an essential antiinflammatory, cytoprotective influence on the blood vessel wall. A key component of this activity is attributed to prevention of leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The NO receptor, soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), is expressed in endothelial cells but fulfils an unknown function.

Protease-activated receptor-2 activation causes EDHF-like coronary vasodilation: selective preservation in ischemia/reperfusion injury: involvement of lipoxygenase products, VR1 receptors, and C-fibers.

Activation of protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 has been proposed to be protective in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, an effect possibly related to an action on the coronary vasculature. Therefore, we investigated the effects of PAR2 activation on coronary tone in isolated perfused rat hearts and elucidated the mechanisms of any observed effects. Although having a negligible effect on ventricular contractility, the PAR2 activating peptide SLIGRL produced an endothelium-dependent coronary vasodilatation (ED(50)=3.