Role of NLRP3 inflammasome in Bifidobacterium longum-regulated visceral hypersensitivity of postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome.

We aimed to explore the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in Bifidobacterium longum-regulated visceral hypersensitivity of postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS). Fifty NIH mice were divided into five groups (n = 10). The visceral sensitivities of PI-2W and PI-8W groups significantly exceeded than those of normal control groups (P < 0.05), which was significantly decreased in PI-B group (P < 0.05). Significantly more IL-18 and IL-1ß were expressed in PI-2W and PI-8W groups than those in normal control groups (P < 0.05), which was significantly decreased in PI-B group (P < 0.05). Bifidobacterium longum may down-regulate IL-18 and IL-1ß expressions by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome and thus reduce the visceral hypersensitivity of PI-IBS.

Association of genetic polymorphisms in HTR3A and HTR3E with diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to investigate the relationship between genetic polymorphisms in HTR3A and HTR3E and diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS) in a Chinese population. METHODS: We enrolled 500 D-IBS patients and 500 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects to detect the genotypes in HTR3A and HTR3B gene by using of PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: There were significant difference between the D-IBS patients and the health control subjects in the distribution of genotype and allele of rs1062613 in HTR3A gene. As regarding rs62625044 in HTR3E gene, we found there was a significant different between the case and the control group in the distribution of GA genotype and A allele in female but not in male. CONCLUSION: The present study suggested that there are associations of D-IBS risk with genetic polymorphisms in HTR3A and HTR3E.

Decreased serum fetuin-A levels and active inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Fetuin-A is a mediator of inflammatory response that might also be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aims to assess whether serum fetuin-A levels are associated with the disease activity in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: A total of 139 patients with CD, 114 patients with UC, and 46 controls were enrolled in this study. The serum fetuin-A levels of the participants were measured using commercially available sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The patients with IBD had significantly lower serum fetuin-A levels compared with the healthy controls. The active patients with CD and patients with UC both had significantly decreased serum fetuin-A levels compared with the inactive patients with CD and patients with UC. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that decreased serum fetuin-A levels were independently associated with the disease activity of CD and UC. Serum fetuin-A levels were negatively associated with C-reactive protein concentrations and white blood cell count in patients with CD but not in patients with UC. CONCLUSIONS: Decreased serum fetuin-A levels were independently associated with disease activity in patients with CD and UC. The utilization of fetuin-A concentration measurements as markers of disease activity in patients with IBD warrants further investigations.

[Expression and significance of glypican-3 in colorectal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and significance of Glypican-3 in colorectal cancer. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Glypican-3 in 200 specimens of colorectal cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissues resected during operation. RESULTS: Glypican-3 immunoreactivity was recognized in both the cytoplasm and cellular membrane. The Glypican-3 positive expression rate in the tumor samples was 66.0% (132/200), significantly higher than that in the adjacent nontumor tissues (24%, 48/200, P = 0.019). The Glypican-3 expression rate was significantly correlated with the carcinoma invasion (P = 0.023) and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.015), but not associated with gender, age, tumor size, and differentiation grade (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Over-expression of Glypican-3 may play an important role in the genesis and development of colorectal cancer, and may be used as a new biological parameter in predicting invasion and metastasis of colorectal carcinoma.