SPECT-computed tomography in rats with TNBS-induced colitis: A first step toward functional imaging.

Aim: To assess the feasibility of SPECT-computed tomography (CT) in rats with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced acute colitis and confront it with model inflammatory characteristics.

Methods: Colitis was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by intrarectal injection of TNBS ( = 10) while controls received vehicle ( = 10). SPECT-CT with intravenous injection of 10 MBq of 67Ga-Citrate was performed at day 2.

IBD: In Food We Trust.

Background And Aims: Both science and patients associate diet with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. There is no doubt that links between IBD and diet are numerous, based on both epidemiological studies and experimental studies. However, scientific evidence to support dietary advice is currently lacking, and dietary counselling for IBD patients is often limited in clinical practice to the improvement of nutrient intake.

Fatty acids, eicosanoids and PPAR gamma.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) belongs to the family of nuclear nuclear receptors and is mainly expressed in adipose tissue, hematopoietic cells and the large intestine. Contrary to other nuclear receptors that mainly bind a single specific ligand, there are numerous natural PPARγ ligands, in particular fatty acids or their derivatives called eicosanoids. PPARγ have pleiotropic functions: (i) glucose and lipid metabolism regulation, (ii) anti-inflammatory properties, (iii) oxidative stress inhibition, (iv) improvement of endothelial function.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammation.

Inflammation is a protective process for life that aims to restore body homeostasis by targeting the injury and by inducing repair mechanisms. This process can also become excessive and lead to chronic inflammation and organ fibrosis. Polyunsaturated fatty acids play a key role in inflammatory processes and their resolution.

Validation of the Arabic version of the SCOFF questionnaire for the screening of eating disorders.

The high prevalence of eating disorders in Arab countries indicates a need for an Arabic language screening tool. This study aimed to validate an Arabic version (A-SCOFF) of the British SCOFF questionnaire, a brief tool for the screening of eating disorders in primary health care. After translation and back-translation the A-SCOFF was given to 123 female patients [mean age 32 (SD 8.

2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced chronic colitis with fibrosis and modulation of TGF-β1 signaling.

Aim: To investigate whether targeting proteasome might reverse intestinal fibrosis in rats.

Methods: Chronic colitis was induced in rats by repeated administration of increasing dose of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS, 15, 30, 45, 60, 60, 60 mg) by rectal injection for 6 wk (from day 0 to day 35), while control rats received the vehicle. TNBS + bortezomib (BTZ) rats received intraperitoneal injections of BTZ twice weekly (from day 37 to day 44) at a dose of 25 mg/kg, whereas the control and TNBS groups received the same amount of the vehicle.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids in inflammatory bowel diseases: a reappraisal of effects and therapeutic approaches.

Recent epidemiological studies highlight the key role of the type of consumed unsaturated fatty acid and the development of ulcerative colitis (UC). We aimed to review the potential mechanisms behind the antiinflammatory effects of unsaturated fatty acids on intestinal inflammation, to discuss their potential limitations, and to propose a new reappraisal of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A literature search using PubMed was carried out to identify relevant studies (basic science, epidemiological studies, or clinical trials) with unsaturated fatty acids and IBD.

Nutrient modulation of autophagy: implications for inflammatory bowel diseases.

During nutrient deprivation, autophagy provides the constituents required to maintain the metabolism essential for survival. Recently, genome-wide association studies have identified genetic determinants for susceptibility to Crohn's disease (CD) such as ATG16L1 and IRGM that are involved in the autophagy pathway. Both disease-carrying NOD2 mutations and ATG16L1 mutations may result in impairment of autophagy.

Potential for amino acids supplementation during inflammatory bowel diseases.

The pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) is multifactorial and involves interactions of gut luminal content with mucosal barrier and especially immune cells. Malnutrition is a frequent issue during IBD flares, especially in Crohn's disease (CD) patients, and nutritional support is frequently used to treat malnutrition but also in an attempt to modulate intestinal inflammation. The use of oral or enteral nutrition intervention in IBDs may be effective, alone or in combination with drugs, to achieve and maintain remission.

Combined glutamine and arginine decrease proinflammatory cytokine production by biopsies from Crohn's patients in association with changes in nuclear factor-kappaB and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.

Glutamine (Gln) and arginine (Arg) are conditionally essential amino acids with immunomodulatory properties. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of Gln and Arg alone or in combination on cytokine release by cultured colonic biopsies from patients with active Crohn's disease (CD). Ten consecutive patients [mean (range) age 26 (18-39) y] with active colonic CD (mean CD activity index: 383.

Combined enteral infusion of glutamine, carbohydrates, and antioxidants modulates gut protein metabolism in humans.

Background: Available data suggest that nutrients can affect intestinal protein metabolism, which contributes to the regulation of gut barrier function.

Objective: We aimed to assess whether an oral nutritional supplement (ONS) containing glutamine (as the dipeptide Ala-Gln), carbohydrates, and antioxidants would modulate duodenal protein metabolism in healthy humans.

Design: Thirty healthy control subjects were included and, over a period of 5 h, received by nasogastric tube either saline or ONS providing 11.