Chronic liver disease increases with damage to intestinal barrier function / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective@#To probe into the correlation between chronic liver disease and intestinal barrier function.@*Methods@#1 491 cases of hospitalized patients were enrolled, of which 741 cases were of chronic liver diseases, including 397 cases of fatty liver diseases, 230 cases of chronic hepatitis, 114 cases of liver cirrhosis, and 750 cases of non-hepatic diseases. All admitted patients’ intestinal barrier function like diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactate, lipopolysaccharide, and biochemical indicators of liver functions were tested. According to different data, statistical analysis was done using t-test, ANOVA, Dunnett’s test, χ 2 test of fourfold table, Pearson’s correlation, and binary logistic regression.@*Results@#The intestinal barrier dysfunction was more likely to occur in the chronic liver disease group than that of non-hepatic disease group [54.15% (379/741) vs. 18.53% (139/750), χ 2 = 193.58, P < 0.001]. The correlation analysis between biochemical indicators of liver function and intestinal barrier function in chronic liver disease group showed that alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), and total bilirubin levels were more susceptible to intestinal barrier dysfunction than those with normal indexes (P < 0.05 ). GGT had stimulated DAO (P < 0.05, OR > 1), D-lactate (P < 0.05, OR > 1), lipopolysaccharide (P < 0.05, OR > 1), ALT and AST.@*Conclusion@#Chronic liver disease increases with damage to intestinal barrier function.

CD133(+) Colo205 colorectal cancer cells express high levels of ALDH1 in serum-free culture / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression pattern of CD133 and ALDH1 in colorectal cancer cells line Colo205 cultured in serum-free medium (SFM) containing recombinant human epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Colo205 cells were cultured in serum-free medium (SFM) containing human recombinant EGF and bFGF or in serum-supplemented medium (SSM). The expression of CD133 was analyzed in both groups, and CD133(+) and CD133(-) cells sorted from the SFM group using flow cytometry and observed microscopically for their growth status. The expression of CD133 and ALDH1 in CD133(+) cells and CD133(-) cells was detected by immunofluorescence assay. CD133(+) cells and CD133(-) cells were then injected subcutaneously into NOD/SCID mice and the expression of ALDH1 in the tumor tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The cells in SFM group showed a significantly higher percentage of CD133(+) cells than those in SSM group (P<0.05). In SFM, CD133(+) cells were capable of forming tumor spheres while CD133(-) cells could not; CD133(+)cells strongly expressed CD133 and ALDH1 and CD133(-) cells did not. In mice, tumors generated by CD133(+) cells, but not by CD133(-) cells, positively expressed ALDH1.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>CD133(+) Colo205 colorectal cancer cells in SFM containing human recombinant EGF and bFGF can form tumor spheres and strongly express ALDH1. ALDH1 may be one of the candidate markers of colorectal cancer stem cells.</p>

Effects of gastrin on rat intestinal epithelial 1,25(OH)2D3-membrane associated rapid response steroid binding protein / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of gastrin on the expression of 1,25(OH)2D3-membrane associated rapid response steroid (1,25D3-MARRS) binding protein in rat intestinal epithelium.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>SD rats received intraperitoneal injections of gastrin, omeprazole or physiological saline. The protein expression of 1,25D3-MARRS binding protein in SD rat intestinal was determined with Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, and its mRNA levels determined by RT-PCR. The serum calcium and phosphate levels in the rats were also detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immunohistochemistry showed that 1,25D3-MARRS binding protein was expressed mainly in the nuclei, cytoplasm and membrane of the intestinal epithelial cells. Both the protein and mRNA expression levels of 1,25D3-MARRS binding protein were up-regulated after treatments with gastrin and omeprazole (P<0.05), but the serum calcium and phosphate concentrations showed no obvious increase.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>1,25D3-MARRS binding protein, which is widely expressed with versatile functionalities, is regulated by gastrin and shows high potentials in the study of gastrointestinal diseases.</p>