The Role of Gut Microbiota and Innate Immune Response in an Autoimmune Pancreatitis Model.

Background: Although the involvement of intestinal microbiota in innate immunity has been reported recently, the pathogenicity of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether probiotics ameliorate inflammation in AIP through interactions with innate immunity.

Materials And Methods: The AIP mouse model was generated by intraperitoneal administration of Escherichia coli to C56BL/6 female mice.

Visceral hypersensitivity induced by mild traumatic brain injury via the corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor: An animal model.

Background: Mild blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) induces various gut symptoms resembling human irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as one of mental and behavioral disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated whether the extremely localized brain impact extracranially induced by laser-induced shock wave (LISW) evoked IBS-like phenomenon including visceral hypersensitivity and intestinal hyperpermeability in rats.

Probiotic Yeast from Miso Ameliorates Stress-Induced Visceral Hypersensitivity by Modulating the Gut Microbiota in a Rat Model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Background/aims: Recent studies indicate that probiotics, which have attracted attention as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, affect intestinal homeostasis. In this study, we investigated whether Zygosaccharomyces sapae (strain I-6), a probiotic yeast isolated from miso (a traditional Japanese fermented food), could improve irritable bowel syndrome symptoms.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were exposed to water avoidance stress (WAS).

Ameliorating Role of Hydrogen-Rich Water Against NSAID-Induced Enteropathy via Reduction of ROS and Production of Short-Chain Fatty Acids.

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced enteropathy, the mechanism of which is involved in oxidative stress, can be lethal due to hemorrhage. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effect of hydrogen-rich water (HRW), in terms of oxidative stress, on intestinal mucosal damage as well as changes in the gut microbiome and the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) content in feces.

Methods: Hydrogen-rich water was orally administered for 5 days to investigate the effectiveness of indomethacin-induced enteropathy in mice.

Transgenerational impacts of oral probiotic administration in pregnant mice on offspring gut immune cells and colitis susceptibility.

Background And Aim: The study of the impact of environmental factors during pregnancy on fetal development has so far been focused primarily on those negatively affecting human health; however, little is known about the effects of probiotic treatment during pregnancy on inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). In this study, we investigated whether oral administration of heat-killed probiotics isolated from fermented foods decreased the vulnerability of offspring to IBD.

Methods: Probiotics were administered to the pregnant mice until the birth of pups, after which the parent mice were maintained with autoclaved water.

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease accompanying a small intestinal ulcer: A case.

Immunoglobulin (Ig)G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic condition associated with fibroinflammatory lesions and is characterized by elevated serum IgG4 levels and IgG4-positive cell infiltration into the affected tissues. It has been reported that IgG4-RD affects a variety of organs but uncommonly affects the gastrointestinal tract. In particular, there are few cases of lesions in the small intestine, except for sclerosing mesenteritis, which were mostly diagnosed from surgical specimens.

Changes in Colonic Inflammation Related with Takayasu Arteritis during a 10-year Observation Period.

Takayasu arteritis (TA) sometimes presents with colitis, which may be diagnosed as inflammatory bowel disease unclassified (IBDU) because of atypical or mixed findings of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease. We herein report an 18-year-old girl presenting with colitis with an occasional high fever eventually diagnosed as TA with IBDU. Colonic inflammation was initially discontinuous and stronger in the proximal colon, atypical of UC.

Acesulfame potassium induces dysbiosis and intestinal injury with enhanced lymphocyte migration to intestinal mucosa.

Background And Aim: The artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium (ACK) is officially approved as safe for intake and has been used in processed foods. However, ACKs have been reported to induce metabolic syndrome, along with alteration of the gut microbiota in mice. In recent years, studies have suggested that this artificial sweetener promotes myeloperoxidase reactivity in Crohn's disease-like ileitis.

Novel probiotic yeast from Miso promotes regulatory dendritic cell IL-10 production and attenuates DSS-induced colitis in mice.

Background: Yeasts are a type of fungi thought to have probiotic functions. In this study, we isolated a novel probiotic yeast (Zygosaccharomyces sapae strain I-6) from Miso (a traditional Japanese fermented food). We examined its effects on phenotypic changes in intestinal dendritic cells (DCs), and evaluated its anti-inflammatory effects in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis.

Deoxycholic acid enhancement of lymphocyte migration through direct interaction with the intestinal vascular endothelium.

Background And Aim: The small intestine plays a central role in gut immunity, and enhanced lymphocyte migration is involved in the pathophysiology of various enteropathy. Bile acid (BA) is closely related to lipid metabolism and gut microbiota and essential for gut homeostasis. However, the effects of BA on gut immunity have not been studied in detail, especially on the small intestine and lymphocyte migration.

Intestinal inflammations increase efflux of innate lymphoid cells from the intestinal mucosa to the mesenteric lymph nodes through lymph-collecting ducts.

Introduction: Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are abundant in the intestinal mucosa, forming boundaries externally. Herein, ILCs were directly obtained from intestinal lymph using a lymph fistula rat model and analyzed under physiological and pathological conditions.

Methods: Thoracic duct (TD) lymphocytes were collected by cannulation with/without preceded mesenteric lymphadenectomy, which were comparable to lymphocytes flowing through mesenteric lymphatic vessels (MLVs) or TD, respectively.

Protective Effect of Luminal Uric Acid Against Indomethacin-Induced Enteropathy: Role of Antioxidant Effect and Gut Microbiota.

Background: Uric acid (UA) has anti- and pro-inflammatory properties. We previously revealed that elevated serum UA levels provide protection against murine small intestinal injury probably via luminal UA secreted in the small intestine. Luminal UA may act as an antioxidant, preventing microbiota vulnerability to oxidative stress.

Angiopoietin-like protein 4 deficiency augments liver fibrosis in liver diseases such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in mice through enhanced free cholesterol accumulation in hepatic stellate cells.

Aim: We recently reported that lipoprotein lipase (LPL)-mediated free cholesterol (FC) accumulation in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) augmented liver fibrosis in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The aim of the present study was to explore the role of angiopoietin-like protein 4 (Angptl4), an LPL inhibitor, in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis in NASH.

Methods: Angptl4-deficient or wild-type mice were used to investigate the role of Angptl4 in the pathogenesis of NASH induced by feeding a methionine- and choline-deficient diet.

[Atypical clinical presentation of familial Mediterranean fever resembling colonic diverticulitis in an elderly patient:a case report].

A 69-year-old man had been intermittently experiencing abdominal pain from his 30s and was diagnosed with colonic diverticulitis. He further experienced right lower abdominal pain and received treatment. However, his condition did not improve, and he was referred to the National Defense Medical College Hospital.

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.

Dietary emulsifier polysorbate-80-induced small-intestinal vulnerability to indomethacin-induced lesions via dysbiosis.

Background And Aim: Dietary emulsifiers are widely used in processed foods and officially approved as safe for intake. However, recent studies have demonstrated that some emulsifiers alter the colonic microbiota, leading to colonic low-grade inflammation, in mice. The effect of dietary emulsifiers on small-intestinal microbiota, which is important for gut immunity, has not been studied.

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.

Crohn's Disease Accompanied with Small Intestinal Extramedullary Plasmacytoma.

We herein present the case of an immunocompetent 63-year-old man who had previously undergone resection of Crohn's disease (CD)-related small intestinal obstruction more than 30 years ago. He had not been receiving any medication for many years, but had recently started to suffer from ileus. A stenosed site of ileo-cecal anastomosis was identified and therefore was surgically resected, which was diagnosed as CD with small intestinal extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP).

Atypical Clinical Presentation of Crohn's Disease with Superior Mesenteric Vein Obstruction and Protein-losing Enteropathy.

We herein report a 44-year-old man suffering from systemic edema due to protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) with superior mesenteric vein (SMV) obstruction and development of collateral veins, which subsequently proved to be a chronic result of thrombosis and a complication of Crohn's disease (CD). PLE was supposedly induced by both intestinal erosion and thrombosis-related lymphangiectasia, which was histologically proven in his surgically-resected ileal stenosis. Elemental diet and anti-TNFα agent improved his hypoalbuminemia after surgery.

Human intestinal spirochetosis mimicking ulcerative colitis.

Human intestinal spirochetosis (HIS) is a colorectal infection caused by the Brachyspira species of intestinal spirochetes, whose pathogenicity in humans remains unclear owing to the lack of or mild symptoms. We monitored the 5-year clinical course of a woman diagnosed with HIS in whom ulcerative colitis (UC) had been suspected. Following a positive fecal occult blood test, she underwent a colonoscopic examination at a local clinic where she was diagnosed with "right-sided" UC concomitant with incidentally detected HIS, and was referred to our hospital.

Evaluation by MR Enterocolonography of Lansoprazole-induced Collagenous Colitis Accompanied with Protein-losing Enteropathy.

We herein describe a 69-year-old man suffering from chronic diarrhea caused by lansoprazole (LPZ)-induced collagenous colitis (CC) accompanied with protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), diagnosed by increased fecal alpha-1 antitrypsin clearance and the findings of leakage from the descending colon to the sigmoid colon on scintigraphy. MR enterocolonography (MREC) was also performed for differentiating digestive diseases, and inflamed findings were observed around the same portion as those on scintigraphy, suggesting that this region was responsible for protein loss in this case. The MREC findings improved after the cessation of LPZ, and hypoalbuminemia also improved simultaneously.