GI highlights from the literature

ABSTRACT

Distinctive patterns of alterations in metabolites derived from gut microbial activity were found to characterise different IBS subtypes, with reduced short-chain fatty acids observed in those with IBS and constipation, while an increase in both tryptamine and primary bile acids was identified in those with diarrhoea-variant IBS. In this paper, Lyu et al investigate the relationship among diacylglycerols, activation and translocation to plasma membrane (PM) of Protein kinase C epsilon (PKCϵ), which phosphorylates the hepatic insulin receptor kinase causing lipid-induced HIR. In liver-specific PKCϵ-KD rats (using a modified model 2’-methoxyethyl-antisense oligonucleotide with N-Acetyl Galactosamine to improve hepatocytes delivery) at day 4 of high fat diet, hyperinsulinaemic-hyperglycaemic clamp tests induced a raise in glycogen hepatic content, reduction of insulin receptor kinase-T1160 levels and reduction in plasma glucose and insulin following oral glucose tolerance test. For a 3-month delay in the diagnosis of oesophageal, gastric, liver and colorectal cancers the authors predict a 10%–20% reduction in overall 10-year survival. [...]because they are typically less aggressive and more readily treated, a disproportionate increase in lives and life-years lost will be seen with progressive delays in the diagnosis of colorectal tumours than upper gastrointestinal or liver cancers.