Therapeutic potential of isoallolithocholic acid in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus peritoneal infection.

A significant increase in multidrug-resistant Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections has made it crucial to explore new antimicrobial drugs and strategies. Emerging evidence suggests that the bile acid metabolite isoallolithocholic acid (isoallo-LCA) may contribute to reducing the risk of infection among centenarians. However, its precise role remains somewhat ambiguous and necessitates further investigation.

Language and executive function in Mandarin-speaking deaf and hard-of-hearing children aged 3-5.

The study aimed to explore spoken language and executive function (EF) characteristics in 3-5-year-old prelingually deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children, and evaluate the impact of demographic variables and EF on spoken language skills. 48 DHH children and 48 typically developing children who use auditory-oral communication were recruited. All participants underwent EF tests, including auditory working memory (WM), inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and the EF performance reported by parents.

Reg4 deficiency aggravates pancreatitis by increasing mitochondrial cell death and fibrosis.

Regenerating gene family member 4 (Reg4) has been implicated in acute pancreatitis, but its precise functions and involved mechanisms have remained unclear. Herein, we sought to investigate the contribution of Reg4 to the pathogenesis of pancreatitis and evaluate its therapeutic effects in experimental pancreatitis. In acute pancreatitis, Reg4 deletion increases inflammatory infiltrates and mitochondrial cell death and decreases autophagy recovery, which are rescued by the administration of recombinant Reg4 (rReg4) protein.

Neurotensin contributes to cholestatic liver disease potentially modulating matrix metalloprotease-7.

The diagnosis and treatment of biliary atresia pose challenges due to the absence of reliable biomarkers and limited understanding of its etiology. The plasma and liver of patients with biliary atresia exhibit elevated levels of neurotensin. To investigate the specific role of neurotensin in the progression of biliary atresia, the patient's liver pathological section was employed.

Antibacterial peptide Reg4 ameliorates -induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis.

() is a Gram-negative facultative anaerobe that has become an important cause of severe infections in humans, particularly in patients with cystic fibrosis. The development of efficacious methods or mendicants against is still needed. We previously reported that regenerating islet-derived family member 4 (Reg4) has bactericidal activity against Typhimurium, a Gram-negative flagellated bacterium.

Farnesoid X receptor agonist tropifexor detoxifies ammonia by regulating the glutamine metabolism and urea cycles in cholestatic livers.

Hyperammonemia refers to elevated levels of ammonia in the blood, which is an important pathological feature of liver cirrhosis and hepatic failure. Preclinical studies suggest tropifexor (TXR), a novel non-bile acid agonist of Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR), has shown promising effects on reducing hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. This study evaluates the impact of TXR on hyperammonemia in a piglet model of cholestasis.

Loss of Mptx2 alters bacteria composition and intestinal homeostasis potentially by impairing autophagy.

A recent single-cell survey of the small-intestinal epithelium suggests that mucosal pentraxin 2 (Mptx2) is a new Paneth cell marker, but its function and involved mechanism in the Paneth cell are still unknown. Therefore, we create Mptx2 knockout (Mptx2) mice to investigate its precise effects on intestinal homeostasis using models of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) peritoneal infection, and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced intestinal injury and inflammation. We here find that Mptx2 is selectively expressed in Paneth cells in the small intestines of mice.

Targeted metabolomics unravels altered phenylalanine levels in piglets receiving total parenteral nutrition.

Parenteral nutrition, received by many patients with intestinal failure, can induce hepatobiliary complications, which is termed as parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease (PNALD). The spectrum of PNALD ranges from cholestasis and steatosis to fibrosis and cirrhosis. Although many factors contribute to the pathogenesis of PNALD, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Intestinal Reg4 deficiency confers susceptibility to high-fat diet-induced liver steatosis by increasing intestinal fat absorption in mice.

Background & Aims: Regenerating gene family member 4 (REG4) is a novel marker for enteroendocrine cells and is selectively expressed in specialised enteroendocrine cells of the small intestine. However, the exact roles of REG4 are largely unknown. In this study we investigate the effects of REG4 on the development of dietary fat-dependent liver steatosis and the mechanisms involved.

Inositol hexaphosphate promotes intestinal adaptation in short bowel syndrome via an HDAC3-mediated epigenetic pathway.

Background: Short bowel syndrome (SBS) has high morbidity and mortality rates, and promoting intestinal adaptation of the residual intestine is a critical treatment. Dietary inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) plays an important role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, but its effect on SBS remains unclear. This study aimed at investigating the effect of IP6 on SBS and clarified its underlying mechanism.

Selective depletion of CD11b-positive monocytes/macrophages potently suppresses bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

The understanding of pathogenesis underlying idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is still limited presently. Monocytes or macrophages are involved in progression of the pulmonary injury and repair. The aim of this study is to investigate the roles of CD11b monocytes/macrophages in the progression of pulmonary fibrosis.

Postbiotic muramyl dipeptide alleviates colitis activating autophagy in intestinal epithelial cells.

The pathogenesis of IBD is complicated and still unclear. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2) plays a significant role in regulating gut inflammation under the activation of muramyl dipeptide (MDP), which is used as a postbiotic. The study aimed to investigate the effect of MDP on the intestinal barrier in colitis and the mechanism involved.

Metabolic regulation of cholestatic liver injury by D-2-hydroxyglutarate with the modulation of hepatic microenvironment and the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling.

Biliary atresia (BA) is a cholestatic liver disease in neonates with devastating obstructive intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary ducts. Owing to the lack of an early diagnostic marker and limited understanding of its pathogenesis, BA often leads to death within 2 years. Therefore, this study aimed to develop early diagnostic methods and investigate the underlying pathogenesis of liver injury in BA using metabolomics.

Reg4 protects against Salmonella infection-associated intestinal inflammation via adopting a calcium-dependent lectin-like domain.

Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Tm) is Gram-negative flagellated bacteria that can cause food-borne gastroenteritis and diarrhea in human. Developing efficacious methods against Salmonella infection is still challenged.

Heterozygous Actg2 mice mimic the phenotype of megacystis microcolon intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome.

Background: Megacystis microcolon intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome (MMIHS) is a rare and serious congenital disorder with poor outcomes, where a heterozygous missense mutation is present in the ACTG2 gene. Here, we aimed to investigate the pathogenesis of ACTG2 in MMIHS.

Methods: A cohort with 20 patients with MMIHS was screened.

Production of Tone 2 in disyllabic words in Mandarin Chinese speaking children aged 3-5 with a cochlear implant and a contralateral hearing aid.

To investigate Mandarin Tone 2 production of disyllabic words of prelingually deafened children with a cochlear implant (CI) and a contralateral hearing aid (HA) and to evaluate the relationship between their demographic variables and tone-production ability. Thirty prelingually Mandarin-speaking preschoolers with CI+HA and 30 age-matched normal-hearing (NH) children participated in the study. Fourteen disyllabic words were recorded from each child.

Beta-amyloid Deposition in Biliary Atresia Reduces Liver Regeneration by Inhibiting Energy Metabolism and Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Signaling.

Introduction: Biliary atresia (BA) is a devastating obstructive bile duct disease found in newborns. This study aims to investigate the roles and involved mechanisms of beta-amyloid (Aβ) in the pathogenesis of BA.

Methods: We examined the distribution of Aβ protein and its precursor in the livers of patients with BA.

Diagnostic values of plasma matrix metalloproteinase-7, interleukin-8, and gamma-glutamyl transferase in biliary atresia.

Biliary atresia (BA) is a severe cholestatic liver disease in children featuring cholestasis and liver fibrosis. The early diagnosis of BA is still challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic values of matrix metalloprotease-7 (MMP-7), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in BA.

Upregulation of cadherin-11 contributes to cholestatic liver fibrosis.

Importance: Cadherin-11 (CDH11), a cell-to-cell adhesion molecule, is implicated in the fibrotic process of several organs. Biliary atresia (BA) is a common cholestatic liver disease featuring cholestasis and progressive liver fibrosis in children. Cholestatic liver fibrosis may progress to liver cirrhosis and lacks effective therapeutic strategies.

Lactobacillus plantarum supplementation alleviates liver and intestinal injury in parenteral nutrition-fed piglets.

Objective: Long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) causes PN-associated liver disease, for which therapeutic approaches are limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum CGMCC 1258 (LP) on liver and intestinal injury in PN-fed neonatal piglets.

Methods: The piglets received PN with or without oral LP for 14 days.

Mptx2 defends against peritoneal infection by methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has an increasing prevalence of multi-drug resistance. There is an urgent need for developing novel approaches to combat MRSA infection. Mucosal pentraxin 2 (Mptx2) is predicted to be a member of the pentraxin family, but its biological function is still unknown.

Targeted Metabolomics Reveals Birth Screening Biomarkers for Biliary Atresia in Dried Blood Spots.

Early diagnosis and timely surgical Kasai portoenterostomy greatly improve the survival of patients with biliary atresia (BA), a neonatal cholestatic disease, which has encouraged investigators to develop newborn screening for BA. In this study, we used ultraperformance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry-based targeted metabolomics profiling to identify potential BA biomarkers in dried blood spots (DBS) collected from BA patients ( = 21) and healthy controls ( = 100). A distinctive metabolic profile comprising eight significantly differentially expressed metabolites, taurohyocholic acid (THCA), glutamic acid, 2-hydroxyglutaric acid, ketoleucine, indoleacetic acid, alpha-ketoisovaleric acid, glycocholic acid, and taurocholic acid (TCA), clearly distinguished BA infants from control neonates.

Role of the Gut Microbiota in Parenteral Nutrition-Associated Liver Disease: From Current Knowledge to Future Opportunities.

Parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease (PNALD) refers to a spectrum of conditions that can develop cholestasis, steatosis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis in the setting of parenteral nutrition (PN) use. Patient risk factors include short bowel syndrome, bacterial overgrowth and translocation, disturbance of hepatobiliary circulation, and lack of enteral feeding. A growing body of evidence suggests an intricate linkage between the gut microbiota and the pathogenesis of PNALD.

Monogenic mutations in four cases of neonatal-onset watery diarrhea and a mutation review in East Asia.

Background: Infants with neonatal-onset diarrhea present with intractable diarrhea in the first few weeks of life. A monogenic mutation is one of the disease etiologies and the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has made it possible to screen patients for their mutations.

Main Body: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of four children from unrelated families, who presented with neonatal-onset, chronic, watery, non-bloody diarrhea.