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Journal of clinical gastroenterology 06/2013; · 2.21 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder characterized by visceral hypersensitivity and altered bowel function. There are increasing evidences suggested that VSL#3 probiotics therapy has been recognized as an effective method to relieve IBS-induced symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of VSL#3 probiotics on visceral hypersensitivity (VH), nitric oxide (NO), fecal character, colonic epithelium permeability, and tight junction protein expression. IBS model was induced by intracolonic instillation of 4% acetic acid and restraint stress in rats. After subsidence of inflammation on the seventh experimental day, the rats were subjected to rectal distension, and then the abdominal withdrawal reflex and the number of fecal output were measured, respectively. Also, colonic permeability to Evans blue was measured in vivo, and tight junction protein expression was studied by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting method. Rats had been pretreated with VSL#3 or aminoguanidine (NOS inhibitor) or VSL#3+ aminoguanidine before measurements. The rats at placebo group showed hypersensitive response to rectal distension (P < 0.05) and defecated more stools than control rats (P < 0.05), whereas VSL#3 treatment significantly attenuated VH and effectively reduced defecation. Aminoguanidine reduced the protective effects of VSL#3 on VH. A pronounced increase in epithelial permeability and decreased expression of tight junction proteins (occludin, ZO-1) in placebo group were prevented by VSL#3, but not aminoguanidine. VSL#3 treatment reduce the hypersensitivity, defecation, colonic permeability and increase the expression of tight junction proteins (occludin, ZO-1). As the part of this effect was lowered by NOS inhibitor, NO might play a role in the protective effect of VSL#3 to some extent.
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 03/2012; 362(1-2):43-53. · 2.06 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Probiotics can play a role in enhancing intestinal barrier function. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of VSL#3 probiotics on colonic epithelium permeability, tight junction protein expression and MAPKs signaling pathways in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, acute colitis was induced by administration of 3.5% dextran sodium sulfate for 7 days. Rats in two groups were treated with either 15 mg VSL#3 or placebo via a gastric tube once daily after induction of colitis. Tight junction protein expression and the MAPKs signaling pathways were studied by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. In vitro, HT-29 cells were exposed to TNF-α for up to 48 h with or without pre-treatment with a p38 MAPK inhibitor, an ERK inhibitor or a JNK inhibitor. Then tight junction proteins and the phosphorylation of MAPKs were examined in the presence or absence of VSL#3. In vivo, VSL#3 probiotics significantly ameliorated the disease activity index from Day 4 onward. In acute colitis rats, decreased expression of the tight junction proteins were observed, whereas VSL#3 therapy prevented these changes and increased the expression of phosphorylated p38 (P-p38), and of phosphorylated ERK (P-ERK). In vitro, tight junction proteins, P-p38 and P-ERK in the VSL#3 group were significantly higher than in the control and TNF-α groups. The p38 MAPK inhibitor and the ERK inhibitor could effectively prevent this effect. VSL#3 probiotics protected the epithelial barrier and increased the tight junction protein expression in vivo and in vitro by activating the p38 and ERK signaling pathways.
International Journal of Molecular Medicine 11/2011; 29(2):202-8. · 1.98 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To reduce the unfavorable influence of phosphene array irregularity on the form of Chinese character pattern so as to improve recognition accuracy in visual prostheses, two correction methods were put forward. One method was to generate phosphene closest to the target point in regular arrays using weighted nearest neighbor search. The other was to generate phosphene whose center located in the region covered by dilated characters. Based on a simulation system, Chinese character recognition tests were given to fifteen normally sighted subjects under five degrees of array irregularity (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0) without correction. The recognition accuracy decreased with the increase of irregularity. When the recognition accuracy dropped below 80%, two correction methods were applied and their effects were evaluated. With the increase of array irregularity, both effects on the accuracy of recognition grew considerably. Comparison between the two methods revealed that the former method afforded higher recognition accuracy and the latter only applied to phosphene map with serious irregularity.
Conference proceedings: ... Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Conference 01/2010; 2010:5887-90.
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ABSTRACT: PI-IBS is a common disorder wherein symptoms of IBS begin after acute gastroenteritis. The aims were to assess the relationship of IBS and preceding episodes of gastroenteritis and explore the risk factors.
Electronic databases (1985-2010) were searched to retrieve trials. Outcome measures were incidence of PI-IBS. Review 4.3.1 was used for the statistical analysis and POR and 95% CI as summary statistics were calculated.
Ten studies were assessed for incidence of PI-IBS at last study assessment (POR=6.03; 95% CI 3.58 to 10.13). In subgroup analysis, six studies each were assessed for incidence of PI-IBS at 3 months (POR=8.47; 95% CI 4.85 to 14.76), 6 months (POR=4.58; 95% CI 2.94 to 7.14) and 12 months (POR=6.19; 95% CI 2.82 to 13.58). Four studies were assessed for incidence of PI-IBS at 24-36 months (POR=4.05; 95% CI 3.13 to 5.24).
The odds of developing IBS are increased after acute gastrointestinal infection. There are many risk factors for the development of PI-IBS including female gender, younger age, severity of the initial gastrointestinal insult, duration of the enteritis and adverse psychological factors.
Hepato-gastroenterology 59(113):67-72. · 0.66 Impact Factor
