Changes of cerebral vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-and somatostatin-like immunoreactivity induced by noise and whole-body vibration in the rat

To clarify the role of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and somatostatin, somatropin-release inhibiting factor, (SRIF) neurons in the response to organisms to noise or whole-body vibration stress, VIP and SRIF-like immunoreactivity were determined in various regions of the rat brain following exposure for 90 min to noise (broad band, 102 dB) or whole-body vibration (20 Hz, 4.0 g). Both noise and whole-body vibration significantly increased VIP-like immunoreactivity in the amygdala. A significant reduction of VIP like immunoreactivity in the hippocampus was induced only by whole-body vibration. On the other hand SRIF-like immunoreactivity was decreased significantly in the hypothalamus and increased significantly in the amygdala by noise and whole-body vibration, respectively. The present findings would seem to indicate that the amygdalofugal VIP neural system is involved in regulating hypothalamic and pituitary hormone secretions in non-specific reactions to stress. Responses of hippocampal VIP and the amygdalofugal SRIF to whole-body vibration stress are assumed to be activated as specific reactions to the stress.     

Noradrenergic terminal excitability: effects of opioids

The local infusion of morphine or D-Ala2, Met5-enkephalinamide into the frontal cortical terminal fields of noradrenergic neurons of the nucleus locus coeruleus resulted in a decrease in the excitability of the axon terminal regions to direct electrical stimulation. These effects were concentration dependent and could be blocked or partially reversed by the local infusion of naloxone. Some evidence was obtained for a differential antagonizing effect of naloxone upon the effects of morphine and D-Ala2, Met5-enkephalinamide. These results are discussed with respect to an effect of opioids on the polarization and/or ionic conductance of the terminal fields of locus coeruleus neurons, and to the possible regulation of neurotransmitter release by presynaptic opiate receptors.     

Inhibition of Intestinal Pyrimidine Nucleoside Phosphorylases

The activity of 5-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (dFUR) depends on its activation to 5-fluorouracil (FU) by pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylases. These enzymes are found in tumors and normal tissues, with the highest activity in the small intestines. The present study examined the inhibition of dFUR phosphorolysis in intestinal tissues. dFUR metabolism in intestinal homogenates was inhibited by uracil (U), uridine (UR), and thymidine (TdR), which are the normal substrates for the phosphorylases. Conversely dFUR reduced the metabolism of these inhibitors. A good agreement was found between the observed data and the computer-fitted data using the equations for competitive inhibition between dFUR and the inhibitors. In the absence of inhibitors, the V _max of dFUR phosphorolysis was 47.1 ± 4.9 µM/min and the apparent K _m was 910 ± 167 µM. The V _max was unaltered by the inhibitors, while the K _m was increased with increasing inhibitor concentrations. The maximal inhibition of dFUR metabolism by UR and TdR was about 80%. The K _i,'s were 372 µM for U, 87.2 µM for UR, and 112 µM for TdR and are orders of magnitude higher than their reported endogenous serum concentrations. The rate of dFUR phosphorolysis to FU in the intact intestinal epithelial crypt cells, indicated by the ratio of FU to dFUR in the intracellular fluid, was reduced by UR in a concentration-dependent fashion. These data indicate that the naturally occurring pyrimidines inhibit competitively the dFUR metabolism by the intestinal phosphorylases, that this inhibition occurs at concentrations much higher than the circulating endogenous levels, and that phosphorolysis is the major route of dFUR metabolism.     

Apamin distinguishes two types of relaxation mediated by enteric nerves in the guinea-pig gastrointestinal tract

Summary Eight smooth muscle preparations from the stomach, small intestine and large intestine of the guinea-pig were used to compare apamin's actions in reducing the effectiveness of transmission from enteric inhibitory nerves and in reducing responses to inhibitory agonists ,-methylene ATP, VIP and isoprenaline. The effects of apamin on inhibitory reflexes in the ileum and colon were also evaluated. Apamin had little or no effect on responses to VIP and isoprenaline in any region, but consistently and substantially reduced responses to ,-methylene ATP. Responses to stimulation of enteric inhibitory neurons were substantially reduced by apamin in the antrum circular muscle, ileum longitudinal and circular muscle, taenia coli and distal colon longitudinal muscle, but it was ineffective in the fundus circular muscle, proximal colon longitudinal muscle and distal colon circular muscle. It caused a small reduction of the relaxation of the ileal circular muscle caused reflexly by distension, but did not modify the similar descending inhibitory reflex in the circular muscle of the colon. It is concluded that apamin can be used to distinguish two types of non-noradrenergic transmission from enteric inhibitory nerves to gastrointestinal muscle. Furthermore, neither VIP nor ATP can be the sole transmitter chemical released from enteric inhibitory neurons throughout the gastrointestinal tract.     

黄芩汤对溃疡性结肠炎小鼠肠道菌群的影响及肠黏膜屏障的保护作用机制

目的：研究黄芩汤对溃疡性结肠炎(UC)模型小鼠的药效,并探究黄芩汤在UC中是否能调节肠道菌群,发挥屏障保护作用。方法：雄性Balb/c小鼠按体质量随机分为正常组、模型组、黄芩汤高(20 g·kg^-1)、中(10 g·kg^-1)、低(5 g·kg^-1)剂量组、菌群干扰组、菌群干扰模型组、菌群干扰黄芩汤组(黄芩汤,20 g·kg^-1)。灌胃抗生素(杆菌肽200 mg·kg^-1、万古霉素200 mg·kg^-1)8 d构建菌群干扰模型,自由饮用3%葡聚糖硫酸钠(DSS)溶液7 d构建UC模型,黄芩汤给药治疗7 d。实验结束后处死小鼠,取血、结肠及粪便,苏木素-伊红(HE)染色观察结肠病变,酶联免疫吸附测定法(ELISA)检测血清白细胞介素-4(IL-4)、白细胞介素-6(IL-6)、白细胞介素-10(IL-10)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)含量,实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应(Real-time PCR)及蛋白免疫印迹法(Western blot)检测结肠组织中紧...     

滋肾丸对db/db糖尿病模型小鼠肠道屏障功能及骨骼肌转录组的影响

目的 探索滋肾丸对自发型糖尿病模型db/db小鼠糖脂代谢的作用,并基于肠道屏障功能和骨骼肌转录组测序结果,探索其在体内改善糖尿病作用的可能机制。方法 使用液相色谱-质谱联用技术（LC-MS/MS）对滋肾丸进行成分分析。将6周龄db/db小鼠16只分为模型组、滋肾丸组,将野生型小鼠8只作为正常组。滋肾丸灌胃给药共6周,期间测量小鼠空腹血糖、体质量、进食量。检测小鼠血清总胆固醇（TC）及甘油三酯（TG）水平,检测小鼠空腹胰岛素水平并计算胰岛素抵抗指数（HOMA-IR）。给药结束后,取小鼠骨骼肌、回肠组织,行苏木素-伊红（HE）染色,同时使用免疫组化法检测回肠紧密连接蛋白闭合蛋白（Occludin）和闭锁连接蛋白-1（ZO-1）的表达。使用转录组学测序检测小鼠骨骼肌转录本,并对差异表达基因进行富集分析。结果 从滋肾丸中识别出多种中药活性成分。与正常组比较,模型组小鼠空腹血糖、体质量、TC、TG和HOMA-IR显著升高（P<0.01）;与模型组比较,滋肾丸给药显著降低db/db小鼠的空腹血糖、体质量、TC、TG、HOMA-IR（P<0.01）,而对进食量差异无统计学意义。与正常组比较,模型组小鼠的骨骼肌出现脂质沉积,同时回肠结构改变,肠道Occludin和ZO-1的蛋白表达水平显著降低（P<0.01）;与模型组比较,滋肾丸改善了小鼠骨骼肌和回肠的病理改变,显著升高回肠Occludin和ZO-1的蛋白表达（P<0.01）。转录组提示,滋肾丸可能改善了小鼠骨骼肌的代谢,并增加了胰岛素敏感性。结论 滋肾丸可以改善db/db小鼠的糖脂代谢,此作用可能和其对肠道屏障功能的保护和对骨骼肌代谢相关基因的转录调控有关。     

益气活血通便方对慢传输型便秘大鼠的治疗作用及机制

目的：探讨益气活血通便方对慢传输型便秘(STC)大鼠的治疗作用及机制。方法：采用盐酸洛哌丁胺灌胃法建立STC大鼠模型,设定正常组、模型组、莫沙必利组、益气活血通便方低、中、高剂量组(3.51、7.02、14.04 g·kg^-1)给药后观察各组大鼠一般体征变化、计算粪便含水率及肠道推进率;采用苏木素-伊红染色观察结肠组织黏膜炎症改变;采用酶联免疫吸附测定法检测各组大鼠结肠P物质(SP)、血管活性肠肽(VIP)含量;采用免疫组织化学法和蛋白免疫印迹法检测大鼠结肠组织水通道蛋白(AQP)3、AQP4、AQP8和c-Kit蛋白灰度值,通过16S r RNA高通量测序检测肠道菌群变化。结果：经过益气活血通便方给药治疗10 d后,与模型组比较,益气活血通便方不同剂量组和莫沙必利组大鼠的粪便含水率和肠道推进率均显著增加(P<0.01)。与模型组比较,益气活血通便方中、高剂量组和莫沙必利组大鼠结肠无明显黏膜炎症改变,杯状细胞排列较规整无断裂、数量较多。益气活血通便方中、高剂量组和莫沙必利组血清中SP含量明显升高(P<0.05,P<0.01),VIP明显降低(P&...     

Effects of a Rice Bran Dietary Intervention on the Composition of the Intestinal Microbiota of Adults with a High Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Pilot Randomised-Controlled Trial

Rice bran exhibits chemopreventive properties that may help to prevent colorectal cancer (CRC), and a short-term rice bran dietary intervention may promote intestinal health via modification of the intestinal microbiota. We conducted a pilot, double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial to assess the feasibility of implementing a long-term (24-week) rice bran dietary intervention in Chinese subjects with a high risk of CRC, and to examine its effects on the composition of their intestinal microbiota. Forty subjects were randomised into the intervention group (n = 19) or the control group (n = 20). The intervention participants consumed 30 g of rice bran over 24-h intervals for 24 weeks, whilst the control participants consumed 30 g of rice powder on the same schedule. High rates of retention (97.5%) and compliance (≥91.3%) were observed. No adverse effects were reported. The intervention significantly enhanced the intestinal abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus, and tended to increase the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and the intestinal abundance of Prevotella_9 and the health-promoting Lactobacillales and Bifidobacteria, but had no effect on bacterial diversity. Overall, a 24-week rice bran dietary intervention was feasible, and may increase intestinal health by inducing health-promoting modification of the intestinal microbiota. Further larger-scale studies involving a longer intervention duration and multiple follow-up outcome assessments are recommended.     

Sex-Dependent Effects of 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone on Metabolic Health Are Associated with Alterations in the Host Gut Microbiome

7,8-Dihydroxyflavone (DHF) is a naturally occurring flavonoid that has been reported to protect against a variety of pathologies. Chronic administration of DHF prevents high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in female, but not male, mice. However, the mechanisms underlying this sexual dimorphism have not been elucidated. We have discovered that oral DHF supplementation significantly attenuates fat mass, hepatic lipid accumulation, and adipose tissue inflammation in female mice. In contrast, male mice were not protected from adiposity, and had a paradoxical worsening of hepatic lipid accumulation and adipose tissue inflammation upon DHF supplementation. Consistent with these sexually dimorphic effects on body weight and metabolic health, 7,8-DHF induced early and stable remodeling of the female intestinal microbiome. DHF supplementation significantly increased gut microbial diversity, and suppressed potentially detrimental bacteria, particularly Desulfovibrionaceae, which are pro-inflammatory and positively associated with obesity and inflammation. Changes in the female gut microbiome preceded alterations in body weights, and in silico analyses indicated that these early microbial changes were highly predictive of subsequent weight gain in female mice. While some alterations in the intestinal microbiome were also observed in male DHF-supplemented mice, these changes were distinct from those in females and, importantly, were not predictive of subsequent body weight changes in male animals. The temporality of microbial changes preceding alterations in body weight in female mice suggests a role for the gut microbiome in mediating the sexually dimorphic effects of DHF on body weight. Given the significant clinical interest in this flavonoid across a wide range of pathologies, further elucidation of these sexually dimorphic effects will aid the development of effective clinical therapies.     

Intravenous Lipid Emulsions in the Prevention and Treatment of Liver Disease in Intestinal Failure

The development of intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD) in pediatric and adult patients on parenteral nutrition is usually multifactorial in nature due to nutritional and non-nutritional causes. The role of lipid therapy as a contributing cause is well-established with the pathophysiological pathways now better understood. The review focuses on risk factors for IFALD development, biological effects of lipids, lipid emulsions and the mechanisms of lipid toxicity observed in laboratory animals followed by a synopsis of clinical studies in pediatric and adult patients. The introduction of fish oil-based lipid emulsions that provide partial or complete lipid replacement therapy has resulted in resolution of IFALD that had been associated with soybean oil-based therapy. Based on case reports and cohort studies in pediatric and adult patients who were at risk or developed overt liver disease, we now have more evidence that an early switch to partial or complete fish oil–based lipid therapy should be implemented in order to successfully halt and reverse IFALD.