Search results for "hepatology"

Alpha-defensins (α-Defs) in Crohn's disease: decrease of ileal α-Def 5 via permanent methylation and increase in plasma α-Def 1-3 concentrations offe…

2018

Summary An impaired expression of α-defensins (α-Defs) in the ileal mucosa and, conversely, increased levels in plasma, have been reported in Crohn's disease (CD). However, the specificity and correlation of these findings with the degree of inflammation are unclear. We aimed to characterize the concentration and utility of ileal and plasma α-Defs in CD and to analyse a potential epigenetic mechanism of α-Def expression. Peripheral blood samples and ileal biopsies were obtained from patients at disease onset (aCD), from those who achieved remission (iCD) and from two control groups (healthy controls and non-CD-aetiology ileitis patients). Plasma α-Defs 1–3 and 4 were detected by enzyme-link…

Application of guidelines for the management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in three prospective cohorts of HIV-monoinfected patients

2020

Objectives: Current guidelines recommend use of a diagnostic algorithm to assess disease severity in cases of suspected nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We applied this algorithm to HIV-monoinfected patients. Methods: We analysed three prospective screening programmes for NAFLD carried out in the following cohorts: the Liver Disease in HIV (LIVEHIV) cohort in Montreal, the Modena HIV Metabolic Clinic (MHMC) cohort and the Liver Pathologies in HIV in Palermo (LHivPa) cohort. In the LIVEHIV and LHivPa cohorts, NAFLD was diagnosed if the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) was ≥ 248 dB/m; in the MHMC cohort, it was diagnosed if the liver/spleen Hounsfield unit (HU) ratio on abdomin…

Therapeutic Opportunities in Intestinal Microbiota–Virus Interactions

2018

The host microbiota has emerged a third player in interactions between hosts and viral pathogens. This opens new possibilities to use different tools to modulate the intestinal microbial composition, aimed at reducing the risk of or treating viral enteric infections.

2019

The P-STS human ileal neuroendocrine tumor cells, as a model for gut enterochromaffin cells, are strongly and synergistically activated by histamine plus acetylcholine (ACh), presumably via histamine 4 receptors, and weakly activated by histamine alone. Sensing these signals, enterochromaffin cells could participate in intestinal intolerance or allergic reactions to food constituents associated with elevated histamine levels. In this study we aimed to analyze the underlying molecular mechanisms. Inhibition by mepyramine and mibefradil indicated that histamine alone caused a rise in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) via histamine 1 receptors involving T-type voltage-gated calciu…

Dual Role of Endogenous Serotonin in 2,4,6-Trinitrobenzene Sulfonic Acid-Induced Colitis.

2016

Background and Aims: Changes in gut serotonin content have been described in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and in different experimental models of colitis: the critical role of this monoamine in the pathogenesis of chronic gastrointestinal inflammation is gradually emerging. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the contribution of endogenous serotonin through the activation of its specific receptor subtypes to the local and systemic inflammatory responses in an experimental model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Methods: Colitis was induced by intrarectal 2,4,6-TriNitroBenzene Sulfonic acid in mice subacutely treated with selective antagonists of 5-HT1A (WAY100135), 5-HT2A (Ketanserin), 5-HT…

Refining the Baveno VI elastography criteria for the definition of compensated advanced chronic liver disease

2021

Background: The Baveno VI consensus proposed a dual liver stiffness (LS) by transient elastography threshold of <10 and >15 kPa for excluding and diagnosing compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD) in the absence of other clinical signs. Herein, we aimed to validate these criteria in a real-world multicentre study. Methods: We included 5,648 patients (mean age 51 ± 13 years, 53% males) from 10 European liver centres who had a liver biopsy and LS measurement within 6 months. We included patients with chronic hepatitis C (n = 2,913, 52%), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, n = 1,073, 19%), alcohol-related liver disease (ALD, n = 946, 17%) or chronic hepatitis B (n = 716…

Amylase–Trypsin Inhibitors in Wheat and Other Cereals as Potential Activators of the Effects of Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity

2018

Nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is a gluten-related gastrointestinal disorder distinct from celiac disease (CD) and gluten allergy that is not easy to diagnose due to the lack of biomarkers. It is characterized by intestinal symptoms and extraintestinal manifestations with the consumption of gluten-containing foods. In contrast to CD, NCGS patients do not present a genetic predisposition or intestinal villi atrophy. Recent studies question the proinflammatory triggering activity of α-gliadin fraction contained in wheat, since it has been demonstrated that the amylase-trypsin inhibitors (ATIs) exert a strong activating effect on the innate immune response. We aimed to analyze the role of…

Germ-free housing conditions do not affect aortic root and aortic arch lesion size of late atherosclerotic low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient…

2020

The microbiota has been linked to the development of atherosclerosis, but the functional impact of these resident bacteria on the lesion size and cellular composition of atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta has never been experimentally addressed with the germ-free low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (Ldlr(-/-)) mouse atherosclerosis model. Here, we report that 16 weeks of high-fat diet (HFD) feeding of hypercholesterolemicLdlr(-/-)mice at germ-free (GF) housing conditions did not impact relative aortic root plaque size, macrophage content, and necrotic core area. Likewise, we did not find changes in the relative aortic arch lesion size. However, late atherosclerotic GFLdlr(-/-)mice …

Hepatocyte vitamin D receptor regulates lipid metabolism and mediates experimental diet-induced steatosis.

2015

Background & Aims The pathogenesis and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is still incompletely understood. Several nuclear receptors play a role in liver lipid metabolism and can promote hepatosteatosis, but the possible role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in NAFLD has not been investigated. Methods The expression of liver VDR was investigated in apolipoprotein E knockout ( apoE −/− ) mice on a high fat diet, in wild-type mice on methionine and choline deficient diet and in NAFLD patients with hepatosteatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The relevance of VDR was assessed in apoE −/− mice by deletion of VDR or paricalcitol treatment and in human HepG2 cells by VDR t…

Global prevalence, treatment, and prevention of hepatitis B virus infection in 2016: a modelling study

2018

PubMed: 29599078