Digestive System Commons^™

Reduced Gut Microbiome Protects From Alcohol-Induced Neuroinflammation And Alters Intestinal And Brain Inflammasome Expression, Patrick P. Lowe, Benedek Gyongyosi, Abhishek Satishchandran, Arvin Iracheta-Vellve, Yeonhee Cho, Aditya Ambade, Gyongyi Szabo

Open Access Articles

BACKGROUND: The end-organ effects of alcohol span throughout the entire body, from the gastrointestinal tract to the central nervous system (CNS). In the intestine, alcohol use changes the microbiome composition and increases gut permeability allowing translocation of microbial components into the circulation. Gut-derived pathogen-associated signals initiate inflammatory responses in the liver and possibly elsewhere in the body. Because previous studies showed that the gut microbiome contributes to alcohol-induced liver disease, we hypothesized that antibiotic administration to reduce the gut microbiome would attenuate alcohol-induced inflammation in the brain and small intestine (SI).

METHODS: Six- to 8-week-old C57BL/6J female mice were ...

Fxr And Tgr5 Agonists Ameliorate Liver Injury, Steatosis, And Inflammation After Binge Or Prolonged Alcohol Feeding In Mice, Arvin Iracheta-Vellve, Charles D. Calenda, Jan Petrasek, Aditya Ambade, Karen Kodys, Luciano Adorini, Gyongyi Szabo

Open Access Articles

Bile acids (BAs) activate various dedicated receptors, including the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and the Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5). The FXR agonist obeticholic acid (OCA) is licensed for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis and has shown promising results in NASH patients, whereas TGR5 agonists target inflammation and metabolism. We hypothesized that FXR and/or TGR5 agonists may be therapeutic in early alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in mice, in which hepatic inflammation plays a major role. OCA, INT-777, and INT-767 are BA derivatives with selective agonist properties for FXR, TGR5, or both, respectively. These compounds were tested in ...

Nanoparticle Microarray For High-Throughput Microbiome Metabolomics Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry, Rebecca L. Hansen, Maria Emilia Duenas, Torey Looft, Young Jin Lee

Chemistry Publications

A high-throughput matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI)-MS-based metabolomics platform was developed using a pre-fabricated microarray of nanoparticles and organic matrices. Selected organic matrices, inorganic nanoparticle (NP) suspensions, and sputter coated metal NPs, as well as various additives, were tested for metabolomics analysis of the turkey gut microbiome. Four NPs and one organic matrix were selected as the optimal matrix set: α-cyano-4-hydroycinnamic acid, Fe3O4 and Au NPs in positive ion mode with 10 mM sodium acetate, and Cu and Ag NPs in negative ion mode with no additive. Using this set of five matrices, over two thousand unique ...

Experimental Evaluation Of The Importance Of Colonization History In Early-Life Gut Microbiota Assembly, Inés Martínez, Maria X. Maldonado-Gomez, João Carlos Gomes-Neto, Hatem Kittana, Hua Ding, Robert J. Schmaltz, Payal Joglekar, Roberto Jiménez Cardona, Nathan L Marsteller, Steven W. Kembel, Andrew K. Benson, Daniel A. Peterson, Amanda Ramer-Tait, Jens C. Walther

Faculty Publications in Food Science and Technology

The factors that govern assembly of the gut microbiota are insufficiently understood. Here, we test the hypothesis that inter-individual microbiota variation can arise solely from differences in the order and timing by which the gut is colonized early in life. Experiments in which mice were inoculated in sequence either with two complex seed communities or a cocktail of four bacterial strains and a seed community revealed that colonization order influenced both the outcome of community assembly and the ecological success of individual colonizers. Historical contingency and priority effects also occurred in Rag1^-/- mice, suggesting that the adaptive immune system is ...

Select Gp120 V2 Domain Specific Antibodies Derived From Hiv And Siv Infection And Vaccination Inhibit Gp120 Binding To Alpha4beta7, Sakaorat Lertjuthaporn, Shan Lu, Yang Lou, Shixia Wang, James Arthos

Open Access Articles

The GI tract is preferentially targeted during acute/early HIV-1 infection. Consequent damage to the gut plays a central role in HIV pathogenesis. The basis for preferential targeting of gut tissues is not well defined. Recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides derived from HIV and SIV gp120 bind directly to integrin alpha4beta7, a gut-homing receptor. Using both cell-surface expressed alpha4beta7 and a soluble alpha4beta7 heterodimer we demonstrate that its specific affinity for gp120 is similar to its affinity for MAdCAM (its natural ligand). The gp120 V2 domain preferentially engages extended forms of alpha4beta7 in a cation -sensitive manner and is inhibited ...

A Population Of Gut Epithelial Enterochromaffin Cells Is Mechanosensitive And Requires Piezo2 To Convert Force Into Serotonin Release, Constanza Alcaino, Kaitlyn R. Knutson, Anthony J. Treichel, Gulcan Yildiz, Peter R. Strege, David R. Linden, Joyce H. Li, Andrew B. Leiter, Joseph H. Szurszewski, Gianrico Farrugia, Arthur Beyder

Open Access Articles

Enterochromaffin (EC) cells constitute the largest population of intestinal epithelial enteroendocrine (EE) cells. EC cells are proposed to be specialized mechanosensory cells that release serotonin in response to epithelial forces, and thereby regulate intestinal fluid secretion. However, it is unknown whether EE and EC cells are directly mechanosensitive, and if so, what the molecular mechanism of their mechanosensitivity is. Consequently, the role of EE and EC cells in gastrointestinal mechanobiology is unclear. Piezo2 mechanosensitive ion channels are important for some specialized epithelial mechanosensors, and they are expressed in mouse and human EC cells. Here, we use EC and EE cell ...

Comparing Efficacy Of Lumen-Apposing Stents To Plastic Stents In The Endoscopic Management Of Mature Peripancreatic Fluid Collections: A Single-Center Experience, Matthew J. Fasullo, Yasir Al-Azzawai, Joan Kheder, Jeffrey Abergel, Wahid Y. Wassef

Open Access Articles

Introduction: Mature peripancreatic fluid collection (MPFC) is a known and often challenging consequence of acute pancreatitis and often requires intervention. The most common method accepted is the "step-up approach," which consists of percutaneous drainage followed, if necessary, by minimally invasive retroperitoneal necrosectomy. Our paper aims to distinguish between plastic stents and lumen-apposing stents in the endoscopic management of MPFC in terms of morbidity, mortality, and haste of fluid collection resolution.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed at UMass Memorial Medical Center in patients with a diagnosis of MPFC. Utilizing medical records, clinical data, radiology, as well as endoscopic evidence, patients ...

Unique Surgical Approach To A Twisted Ileal-Anal Pouch, Hannah Buettner, Maria X. Kiely, Mengdi Yao, James Yoo, Lilian Chen

Open Access Articles

Total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis can restore gastrointestinal continuity in patients requiring colectomy for ulcerative colitis, however, it can be associated with high morbidity. Reoperation for pouch-related complications is technically challenging and often leads to deterioration of pouch function or need for permanent stoma. We report a case of acute on chronic small bowel obstruction secondary to a 360-degree twist in the small bowel introduced during creation of the ileal-anal pouch. Our novel approach at repair has not been reported in past literature which included resection and re-anastomosis of the small bowel proximal to the pouch allowing for pouch ...

Suspected Blood Indicator To Identify Active Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Prospective Validation, Samuel Han, Julien Fahed, David R. Cave

Open Access Articles

Background: The suspected blood indicator (SBI) function in the RAPID Reader v8.3 program was designed to quickly identify the presence of blood in video capsule endoscopy. While previous retrospective studies have shown that the SBI function was accurate in detecting the presence of active bleeding in the small bowel, its specificity and sensitivity were poor.

Methods: An initial retrospective review (phase 1) compared 115 patients with active gastrointestinal bleeding seen on video capsule endoscopy (VCE) to 115 patients with no active bleeding seen on VCE to produce a highly accurate algorithm. A prospective study (phase 2) was then performed ...

Mandatory Multidisciplinary Approach For The Evaluation Of The Lymph Node Status In Rectal Cancer, Marian Diaconescu, Cosmin V. Obleaga, Cecil S. Mirea, Mihai C. Ciorbagiu, Emil Moraru, Ionica D. Vilcea

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Colorectal cancer is the third most frequently reported malignancy and also the third leading cancer-related cause of death worldwide. Lymph node evaluation, both preoperatively and postoperatively, represents an important aspect of the diagnosis and therapeutic strategy in colorectal cancer, such that an accurate preoperative staging is required for a correct therapeutic strategy. Treatment of rectal cancer with positive lymph nodes, a very important predictive prognostic parameter, is currently based on neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by total/ surgical mesorectal excision and adjuvant regimen.

Preoperative evaluation of the lymph node status in rectal cancer is based on endoscopic ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging ...

Non-Canonicaly Recruited Tcrαβcd8Αα Iels Recognize Microbial Antigens, Lukasz Wojciech, Edyta Szurek, Michal Kuczma, Anna Cebula, Wessam R. Elhefnawy, Maciej Pietrzak, Grzegorz Rempala, Leszek Ignatowicz

Computer Science Faculty Publications

In the gut, various subsets of intraepithelial T cells (IELs) respond to self or non-self-antigens derived from the body, diet, commensal and pathogenic microbiota. Dominant subset of IELs in the small intestine are TCRαβCD8αα⁺ cells, which are derived from immature thymocytes that express self-reactive TCRs. Although most of TCRαβCD8αα⁺ IELs are thymus-derived, their repertoire adapts to microbial flora. Here, using high throughput TCR sequencing we examined how clonal diversity of TCRαβCD8αα⁺ IELs changes upon exposure to commensal-derived antigens. We found that fraction of CD8αα⁺ IELs and CD4⁺ T cells express identical αβTCRs and this overlap raised ...

Attaching-And-Effacing Pathogens Exploit Junction Regulatory Activities Of N-Wasp And Snx9 To Disrupt The Intestinal Barrier, John J. Garber, Emily M. Mallick, Karen M. Scanlon, Jerrold R. Turner, Michael S. Donnenberg, John M. Leong, Scott B. Snapper

Open Access Articles

Background and Aims: Neural Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome protein (N-WASP) is a key regulator of the actin cytoskeleton in epithelial tissues and is poised to mediate cytoskeletal-dependent aspects of apical junction complex (AJC) homeostasis. Attaching-and-effacing (AE) pathogens disrupt this homeostasis through translocation of the effector molecule early secreted antigenic target-6 (ESX)-1 secretion-associated protein F (EspF). Although the mechanisms underlying AJC disruption by EspF are unknown, EspF contains putative binding sites for N-WASP and the endocytic regulator sorting nexin 9 (SNX9). We hypothesized that N-WASP regulates AJC integrity and AE pathogens use EspF to induce junction disassembly through an N-WASP- and SNX9-dependent ...

Aging, Inflammation, And Gut Microbiota In Mice, Jody Demeo

Honors Projects

Inflammation and gut microbiota are two areas of study that can be linked to aging in the body. As a person ages, systemic inflammation tends to increase, and changes in microbiota in the gastrointestinal system occur as well.

Sodium Channel Nav1.3 Is Important For Enterochromaffin Cell Excitability And Serotonin Release, Peter R. Strege, Kaitlyn Knutson, Samuel J. Eggers, Joyce H. Li, Fan Wang, David Linden, Joseph H. Szurszewski, Lorin Milescu, Andrew B. Leiter, Gianrico Farrugia, Arthur Beyder

Open Access Articles

In the gastrointestinal (GI) epithelium, enterochromaffin (EC) cells are enteroendocrine cells responsible for producing > 90% of the body's serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT). However, the molecular mechanisms of EC cell function are poorly understood. Here, we found that EC cells in mouse primary cultures fired spontaneous bursts of action potentials. We examined the repertoire of voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV) in fluorescence-sorted mouse EC cells and found that Scn3a was highly expressed. Scn3a-encoded NaV1.3 was specifically and densely expressed at the basal side of both human and mouse EC cells. Using electrophysiology, we found that EC cells expressed robust NaV1.3 ...

Fmt Placed By Colonoscopy: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Nadia Huq, Veena Kumaravel, Aboud Affi, Maharaj Singh

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Background: Fecal transplants are successful in the treatment of recurrent or refractory Clostridium difficile infections (CDI), but there is no consensus on the best method of instillation. Studies have shown greater success with lower gastrointestinal tract placement, but technical aspects of placement are not validated.

Purpose: This review aims to identify common traits and procedural techniques of successful fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) therapy via colonoscopy.

Methods: An electronic search was conducted using OVID Medline and PubMed for articles published from January 2010 to January 2016. The primary outcome of interest was cure by FMT placed via colonoscopy.

Results: Of the ...

Transcription Factor Tfeb Cell-Autonomously Modulates Susceptibility To Intestinal Epithelial Cell Injury In Vivo, Tatsuro Murano, Mehran Najibi, Geraldine L. C. Paulus, Fatemeh Adiliaghdam, Aida Valencia-Guerrero, Martin Selig, Xiaofei Wang, Kate Jeffrey, Ramnik J. Xavier, Kara G. Lassen, Javier E. Irazoqui

Open Access Articles

Understanding the transcription factors that modulate epithelial resistance to injury is necessary for understanding intestinal homeostasis and injury repair processes. Recently, transcription factor EB (TFEB) was implicated in expression of autophagy and host defense genes in nematodes and mammalian cells. However, the in vivo roles of TFEB in the mammalian intestinal epithelium were not known. Here, we used mice with a conditional deletion of Tfeb in the intestinal epithelium (Tfeb (DeltaIEC)) to examine its importance in defense against injury. Unperturbed Tfeb (DeltaIEC) mice exhibited grossly normal intestinal epithelia, except for a defect in Paneth cell granules. Tfeb (DeltaIEC) mice exhibited ...

Bilabial Substitution Patterns During Consonant Production In A Case Of Congenital Aglossia, Betty Mcmicken, Frederico Salles, Shelley Von Berg, Margaret Vento-Wilson, Kelly Rogers, Asterios Toutios, Shrikanth S. Narayanan

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose: Congenital aglossia is a rare syndrome in which an individual is born without a tongue. The present paper examines articulatory details of the production of multiple consonants by an aglossic speaker.

Method: Real-time magnetic resonance imaging data of the upper airway were collected from the aglossic speaker. Air-tissue boundaries were determined from the video sequences using a segmentation algorithm, and dynamics of vocal-tract constrictions and cross-dimensions were calculated.

Results: The aglossic speaker produced the consonants /t, d, th, l ,r, f ,v, s, sh/ with a bilabial closure instead of a normal lingua-alveolar closure; however, in /t/and /d ...

Wine Flavor Perception In A Person With Isolated Congenital Aglossia, Naïve Wine Taster, And Sommelier, Kristin Mahood, Long Wang, Betty Mcmicken, Cheryl Rock

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: This study aimed to augment previous research that investigated flavor perception in isolated congenital aglossia by a whole food/beverage approach. Isolated congenital aglossia is the rare condition of absence of a tongue at birth without the presence of other symptoms. Previous studies confirmed taste perception in isolated congenital aglossia using single taste solutions including sour, salty, sweet, bitter, and umami.

Methods: The current randomized, double-blinded study age- and sex-matched a naïve wine taster and sommelier to the 46 year-old female with isolated congenital aglossia. A Nose and Palate Survey with 54 variables created based on the Court of ...

May 2017, Swosu Bulldog Wellness Committee

SWOSU BULLDOG WELLNESS

No abstract provided.

Floating Drugs: A Roundtable, Thien Nguyen, Noelia Valle

Collin College Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Student Research Conference

Paper presented:

"Floating Drug Delivery in the Stomach" by Thien Nguyen and Noelia Valle