Changes in jejunal mucosa after long-term feeding of germfree rats with gluten.

BACKGROUND: Coeliac disease (CD) or gluten-sensitive enteropathy is a chronic gastrointestinal disease of children and adults. An experimental model using inbred germfree rats has been developed to study the effects of intragastric gliadin application on intestinal mucosa. METHODS: AVN strain Wistar rats (inbred F 87)-germfree were used. Gliadin was applied by intragastric probe from birth until day 63 (0.5-5 mg of gliadin per immunization). Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) were separated from the jejunum, and surface marker characterization was performed using flow cytometry. Isolated IEL were labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate and injected into control jejunal loops. After 1 h and 6 h the abdominal cavity was reopened. The samples of jejunum were fixed. RESULTS: Prolonged application of gliadin led to the shortening of jejunal villi, crypt hyperplasia, increased number of mitoses in the crypt epithelium, and increased number of IEL-characteristic CD8+, RGL-1+, and TcR alpha/beta +. Transfer of IEL separated from rats fed with gliadin into the intestinal loops of untreated rats led to tight junctions in the enterocytes of the intestinal loops. The IEL isolated from controls (albumin-treated) induced no mucosal changes in intestinal loops. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that IEL isolated from gliadin-treated rats transfer mucosal damage and that gluten-induced enteropathy has an autoimmune component.

[Histochemical and immunohistochemical study of jejunal mucosa cells in children with celiac sprue]. / Histochemické a imunohistochemické vysetrení bunek jejunální sliznice u detí s celiakální sprue.

In the jejunal mucosae of 45 children with coeliac sprue (24 cases in the florid stage and 21 cases in remission) and 19 children without signs of affection of the small intestine a quantitative investigation was made of cells in the lamina propria which were visualized selectively by histochemical and immunohistochemical methods-plasmocytes with IgA, plasmocytes with IgM, plasmocytes with IgG, cells containing IgE, mast cells, eosinophil and neutrophil leucocytes. The objective was to find which of the above cells will best reveal by a change of their number the pathological process in the lamina propria of children with coeliac sprue and which has the greatest informative value on the present state of the lamina propria. It was found that plasmocytes with IgG and cells containing IgE are good markers of the activity of coeliac sprue in the lamina propria. The best marker of the activity of coeliac sprue in the lamina propria are mast cells detected by the histochemical reaction for tryptase using Z-Ala-Ala-Lys-MNA. This reaction detects mast cells also in non-fixed bioptic material.

[New recommendations for nutritional requirements for the Czechoslovak population]. / Nové odporúcané výzivové dávky pre obyvatel'stvo CSFR.

The authors present new recommended energy and nutrient allowances for the population of CSFR. The allowances are defined for 29 physiological groups, incl. 11 groups of children and adolescents and 18 groups of adults (productive age and more advanced age groups). The recommended allowances are the result of research of two teams--a Czech and a Slovak one--, results are published in the world literature, FAO and WHO reports. The recommended system can be considered an important step in the area of nutritional prevention of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity.

Treatment of a gastric bezoar by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

A bezoar of the stomach was diagnosed by X-ray and endoscopy in an 8-year-old boy who presented with intermittent dull epigastric pain. Attempts at endoscopic extraction failed because of the size and hardness of the bezoar. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was therefore applied using ultrasound to locate the bezoar. Disintegration of the bezoar and spontaneous evacuation of the fragments was achieved.

[Foreign substances in maternal milk]. / Cizorodé látky v materském mléce.

In 1984-1985 72 specimens of human milk were examined for hexachlorobenzene, DDE and polychlorinated biphenyls and 69 specimens for lead and cadmium. The residual levels (expressed in mg.kg-1 milk fat) were as follows: hexachlorobenzene 1.97 (0.24-5.58), DDE 1.56 (0.17-5.80) and polychlorinated biphenyls 3.18 (1.28-9.08). All specimens were positive. The lead levels were 1.68 (less than 0.10-6.75), cadmium levels 0.31 (less than 0.05-1.08) ng.ml-1 milk. Lead was present in 94.2%, cadmium in 98.6% specimens. The results were compared with other areas of the CSSR, data from the literature and hygienic standards. The authors discuss limited or discontinued breastfeeding in high occupational exposure. Finally they emphasize advantages associated with breastfeeding and the justification of a prolactation programme.

Age and sex dependency of the biochemical indices of bone remodelling.

The values for the bone isoenzyme of serum alkaline phosphatase peak in the first two years of age, between 6 and 7 years of age, before the end of puberty and in the postmenopause. A population between the ages of 29 and 45 provides a reference population to which all other age groupings can be compared. A significant positive correlation was found between bone isoenzyme of serum alkaline phosphatase and urinary hydroxyproline excretion in children as well as after puberty. However, in the children the urinary hydroxyproline excretion was significantly higher when compared with the bone isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase. A significant positive correlation was found between the bone isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase and plasma tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, irrespective of age and sex. The biochemical indices of bone remodelling correlated significantly with the growth rate in children and adolescents. The results are in good agreement with the concept of the coupling of bone formation to bone resorption.