结肠黏膜低度炎症对大鼠内脏感觉的影响

Clostridium butyricum regulates visceral hypersensitivity of irritable bowel syndrome by inhibiting colonic mucous low grade inflammation through its action on NLRP6

Visceral hypersensitivity induced by stress is quite common in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. Probiotics play an important role in reducing visceral hypersensitivity in IBS patients. However, the mechanism has not been clearly elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of nod-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 6 (NLRP6) in Clostridium butyricum-regulated IBS induced by stress. Our results showed that NLRP6 was down-regulated in IBS group colon tissues. In addition, IL-18, IL-1β, myeloperoxidase (MPO), d-lactic acid (D-LA), and CD172a were up-regulated in the IBS group of colonic mucous. IL-18 and IL-1β were also increased after the NLRP6 gene was silenced. Pathological score suggested low inflammation of colonic mucous rather than terminal ileum. Water-avoidance stress (WAS) showed visceral hypersensitivity to colonic distension. However, treatment with Clostridium butyricum reversed these results, exerting a beneficial effect. In conclusion, Clostridium butyricum may exert a beneficial action on visceral hypersensitivity of IBS by inhibiting low grade inflammation of colonic mucous through its action on NLRP6.

Effect of infection on cytokine expression in the colon mucosa of patients with irritable bowel syndrome

AIM: To explore the impact of infection on the immune-nervous-endocrine network in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

METHODS: Forty-five patients with postinfectious IBS (PI-IBS), 60 patients with non-postinfectious IBS (non-PI-PBS), and 30 healthy controls were included. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to analyze the expression of substance P (SP), interleukin (IL)-2, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), interferon (IFN)-γ, substance P receptor (SPR) in the colon mucosa of these subjects. Mast cells (MCs) were stained with toluidine blue.

RESULTS: The expression of SP, MCs, 5-HT, SP-R, IFN-γ, and IL-2 in PI-IBS patients was higher than that in non-PI-IBS patients and controls (t = 2.5, 2.8, both P < 0.01; t = 11.5, 12.1, both P < 0.01; t = 13.6, 14.1, both P < 0.01; t = 3.8, 6.1, both P < 0.05; t = 13.8, 15.2, both P < 0.05; t = 12.6, 14.7, both P < 0.05). The expression of ileocecal mucosal MCs was positively correlated with that of SP in PI-IBS patients (r = 0.71, P < 0.01). The expression of ileocecal mucosal 5-HT was closely associated with that of SPR in PI-IBS patients (r = 0.18, P < 0.05). SP expression in PI-IBS patients who were positive for IFN-γ or IL-2 was higher than that in non-PI-IBS patients (t = 2.22, 2.3, P < 0.05) and controls (t = 2.3, 2.4, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Nerve fibers are critical for the immune-nervous-endocrine network in IBS patients after intestinal infection.

Low-grade mucosal inflammation induces colonic PAR-2 activation and visceral hypersensitivity in mice

AIM: To detect the expression of protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) in the colon and substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the cornu dorsale medullae spinalis and to explore the relationship between the activation of PAR-2 and visceral hypersensitivity in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced low-glade colonic mucosal inflammation (LGI).

METHODS: Thirty-six C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into two groups: LGI group and control group. The LGI group was given 1.5% DSS solution for 5 d and distilled water for another 10 d, while the control group was given distilled water only. After treatment, the myoelectric activity of the abdominal wall at different levels of colorectal distension (CRD) was recorded. The expression of SP and CGRP in the cornu dorsale medullae spinalis and PAR-2 in the colonic mucosa was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS: After treatment, colonic histological index (HI) in the LGI group was 1.500 ± 0.926. When the colon was distended to a pressure of 15 mmHg, the myoelectric activity of the abdominal wall in the LGI group was comparable to that in the control group (27.958 μV ± 1.660 μV vs 26.947 μV ± 0.854 μV, P > 0.05). However, the myoelectric activity of the abdominal wall was significantly higher in the LGI group than in the control group when the colon was distended to a pressure of 30, 45 or 60 mmHg (33.455 μV ± 3.786 μV vs 31.253 μV ± 3.842 μV; 46.848 μV ± 4.038 μV vs 37.267 μV ± 2.542 μV; 47.207 μV ± 18.151 μV vs 33.798 μV ± 8.415 μV, all P < 0.05). The integrated optical density (IA) of PAR-2 staining in the distal colon was significantly higher in the LGI group than in the control group. The IA of SP and CGRP staining in the spine cord was also significantly higher in the LGI group than in the control group (40.769 ± 8.422 vs 21.718 ± 4.131; 30.288 ± 13.530 vs 10.788 ± 4.490; 46.829 ± 26.261 vs 13.997 ± 3.340, all P < 0.05). There is a positive correlation between the expression of PAR-2 and SP and between the expression of PAR-2 and CGRP in the LGI group (r = 0.622, P < 0.05, r = 0.588, P < 0.05). The expression of PAR-2, SP or CGRP was closely correlated with the myoelectric activity of the abdominal wall in the LGI group (r = 0.439-0.835, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Low-grade mucosal inflammation induces visceral hypersensitivity in mice possibly by activating colonic PAR-2.