Gastrointestinal complications after kidney transplantation

Gastrointestinal complications are common after renal transplantation, and they have a wide clinical spectrum, varying from diarrhoea to post-transplant inflammatory bowel disease(IBD). Chronic immunosuppression may increase the risk of post-transplant infection and medication-related injury and may also be responsible for IBD in kidney transplant re-cipients despite immunosuppression. Differentiating the various forms of post-transplant colitis is challenging, since most have similar clinical and histological features. Drug-related colitis are the most frequently encountered colitis after kidney transplantation, particularly those related to the chronic use of mycophenolate mofetil, while de novo IBDs are quite rare. This review will explore colitis after kidney transplantation, with a particular focus on different clinical and histological features, attempting to clearly identify the right treatment, thereby improving the final outcome of patients.     

Ulcerative Colitis and Immunoglobulin G4

Background/Aims

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is sometimes associated with autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). Infiltration of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-positive plasma cells is sometimes detected in the colonic mucosa of AIP or UC patients. This study aimed to clarify the relation between UC and IgG4.

Methods

Associations with UC were reviewed in 85 AIP patients. IgG4 immunostaining was performed on biopsy specimens from the colonic mucosa of 14 AIP and 32 UC patients.

Results

UC was confirmed in two cases (type 1 AIP, n=1; suspected type 2 AIP, n=1). Abundant infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells in the colonic mucosa was detected in the case of suspected type 2 AIP with UC and two cases of type 1 AIP without colitis. Abundant infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells was detected in 10 UC cases (IgG4-present, 31%). Although 72% of IgG4-absent UC patients showed mild disease activity, 70% of IgG4-present patients showed moderate to severe disease activity (p<0.05).

Conclusions

UC is sometimes associated with AIP, but it seems that UC is not a manifestation of IgG4-related disease. Infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells is sometimes detectable in the colonic mucosa of UC patients and is associated with disease activity.     

Systemic amyloidosis in inflammatory bowel disease

Systemic amyloidosis comprises a group of diseases that develop as a consequence of an abnormal accumulation of different proteins in several organs, altering their function. Secondary amyloidosis develops after the accumulation of serum amyloid A protein (an acute phase reactant), mainly in the course of chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatologic diseases, familial Mediterranean fever, or tuberculosis. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may also cause secondary amyloidosis. However, little is known about the true prevalence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of amyloidosis among IBD patients. A few studies suggest that amyloidosis is more prevalent in Crohn's disease than in ulcerative colitis, mainly occurring in patients with an extensive, long-lasting, and penetrating disease pattern. In this article we review the available data on secondary amyloidosis and IBD, focusing on prevalence, risk factors, clinical presentation and therapeutic measures.     

辛伐他汀对大鼠结肠炎结肠纤维化的初步研究

目的 探讨辛伐他汀对2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸(TNBS)诱导的大鼠结肠炎结肠纤维化的作用及机制.方法 48只雄性SD大鼠均分为6组,分别为健康对照组、TNBS组、辛伐他汀治疗Ⅰ组和治疗Ⅱ组(造模后0～21 d,分别用辛伐他汀5mg/kg和20 mg/kg治疗)、治疗Ⅲ组和治疗Ⅳ组(造模后7～21 d,分别用辛伐他汀5mg/kg和20mg/kg治疗).观察大鼠体质量变化及疾病活动指数(DAI),对大鼠结肠行大体评分、组织学损伤及纤维化评分.RT-PCR检测Ⅰ型胶原和结缔组织生长因子(CTGF) mRNA水平.Western印迹法检测Ⅰ型胶原、CTGF和磷酸化肌球蛋白磷酸酶目标亚单位-1(p-MYPT-1)蛋白的表达.组间比较采用单因素方差分析.结果 与对照组相比,TNBS组大鼠结肠长度缩短,结肠质量增加,DAI评分、大体评分、组织学损伤及纤维化评分均显著升高,结肠组织中Ⅰ型胶原的表达水平也明显升高.辛伐他汀干预后,大鼠结肠长度和质量均有改善,DAI评分、大体评分、组织学损伤及纤维化评分、结肠组织中Ⅰ型胶原及CTGF的表达均比TNBS组降低,p-MYPT-1的表达在治疗Ⅰ组为0.68±0.22,治疗Ⅱ组为0.59±0.27,治疗Ⅲ组为0.71±0.20,治疗Ⅳ组为0.59±0.25,均低于TNBS组的0.97±0.30(F-5.169,P＜0.05).4个治疗组之间差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 辛伐他汀能有效防治TNBS诱导的大鼠结肠炎结肠纤维化,机制可能与抑制Rho激酶活化、下调CTGF过表达有关.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 inhibition in experimental murine colitis

Background

In the setting of inflammatory bowel disease, inflammation is associated with a simultaneous increase in angiogenesis; moreover, elevated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels implicate angiogenesis as a pathologic contributor to disease severity. We hypothesize that selectively inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) in a model of murine colitis will reduce angiogenesis, resulting in decreased inflammation and disease severity, providing mechanistic insight into the role of pathologic angiogenesis in IBD.

Materials and methods

In a dextran sodium sulfate model of murine colitis, anti-VEGFR2 monoclonal antibody (DC101) or placebo was administered. Clinical assessments followed by histologic and molecular tissue analysis were performed to quantify inflammation, microvessel density (MVD), VEGF and VEGFR2 gene expression, and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase protein expression.

Results

Weight loss began after d 6 with the treatment group demonstrating a more favorable percent weight change. Inflammation and MVD were similar between cohorts, both increasing in parallel toward a plateau. VEGF and VEGFR2 messenger RNA expression were not significantly different, but phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase was elevated in the DC101 cohort (P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Despite a more favorable weight change profile in the treated group, no difference was observed between cohorts regarding clinical disease severity. However, a parallel rise in inflammation and MVD was observed coinciding with weight loss, suggesting their relationship in IBD. VEGFR2 downstream signaling was significantly elevated in the treated cohort, possibly by VEGF-independent signal transduction. Early and effective inhibition of angiogenesis by limiting downstream VEGF signaling or targeting multiple angiogenic pathways may block angiogenesis, thereby reducing disease severity and provide evidence toward the mechanism and clinical benefit of antiangiogenics in the setting of IBD.     

Colitis associated with biological agents

In the past, there has been considerable focus on a host of drugs and chemicals that may produce colonic toxicity. Now, a variety of new biological monoclonal antibody agents, usually administered by infusion, have appeared in the clinical realm over the last decade or so to treat different chronic inflammatory or malignant disorders.For some of these agents, adverse effects have been documented, including apparently new forms of immune-mediated inflammatory bowel disease. In some, only limited symptoms have been recorded, but in others, severe colitis with serious complications, such as bowel perforation has been recorded. In others, adverse effects may have a direct vascular or ischemic basis, while other intestinal effects may be related to a superimposed infection. Some new onset cases of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease may also be attributed to the same agents used to treat these diseases, or be responsible for disease exacerbation. Dramatic and well documented side effects have been observed with ipilimumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody developed to reduce and overcome cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4, a key negative feedback regulator of the T-cell anti-tumor response. This agent has frequently been used in the treatment of different malignancies, notably, malignant melanoma. Side effects with this agent occur in up to 40% and these are believed to be largely immune-mediated. One of these is a form of enterocolitis that may be severe, and occasionally, fatal. Other agents include rituximab (an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody), bevacizumab (a monoclonal antibody against the vascular endothelial growth factor) and anti-tumor necrosis factor agents, including infliximab, adalimumab and etanercept.     

微生态制剂对TNBS诱导的大鼠结肠炎的疗效

目的:评价双歧三联活菌对三硝基苯磺酸钠(TNBS)诱导的大鼠结肠炎的疗效,并探讨其作用机制.方法:成年♀SD大鼠(n=50),随机分为健康对照组A、未治疗组B、双歧三联活菌治疗组C、奥沙拉秦治疗组D、双歧三联活菌和奥沙拉秦联合治疗组E(n=10).观察大鼠的一般情况,检测各组大鼠血清肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、结肠组织TNF-α细胞阳性率,比较结肠组织炎症程度.结果:A组大鼠DAI(P<0.001)、血清TNF-α(P<0.001)水平、肠组织TNF-α细胞阳性率(P<0.05)、肠组织学评分(P<0.05)显著低于未治疗组B;B组大鼠DAI、血清TNF-α水平、肠组织学评分、肠组织TNF-α细胞阳性率最高(P<0.05);3个治疗组C、D、E的大鼠DAI、血清TNF-α、肠组织TNF-α细胞阳性率明显下降,肠组织炎症明显消散,以E组最显著(P<0.05),肠组织TNF-α的表达与结肠炎病情轻重呈正相关.结论:双歧三联活菌能有效治疗TNBS诱导的大鼠结肠炎,其作用机制可能与抑制肠黏膜免疫系统效应细胞TNF-α的表达有关.