Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Intestinal Inflammation”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,477 records · Page 82Linked to original sources

Normal luminal bacteria, especially Bacteroides species, mediate chronic colitis, gastritis, and arthritis in HLA-B27/human beta2 microglobulin transgenic rats.

Genetic and environmental factors are important in the pathogenesis of clinical and experimental chronic intestinal inflammation. We investigated the influence of normal luminal bacteria and several groups of selected bacterial strains on spontaneous gastrointestinal and systemic inflammation in HLA-B27 transgenic rats. Rats maintained germfree for 3-9 mo were compared with littermates conventionalized with specific pathogen-free bacteria. Subsequently, germfree transgenic rats were colonized with groups of five to eight bacteria that were either facultative or strictly anaerobic. Transgenic germfree rats had no gastroduodenitis, colitis, or arthritis, but developed epididymitis and dermatitis to the same degree as conventionalized rats. Colonic proinflammatory cytokine expression was increased in transgenic conventionalized rats but was undetectable in germfree and nontransgenic rats. Colitis progressively increased over the first 4 wk of bacterial exposure, then plateaued. Only transgenic rats colonized with defined bacterial cocktails which contained Bacteroides spp. had colitis and gastritis. Normal luminal bacteria predictably and uniformly induce chronic colonic, gastric and systemic inflammation in B27 transgenic F344 rats, but all bacterial species do not have equal activities.

Animals↗

p38 MAP kinase activation by Clostridium difficile toxin A mediates monocyte necrosis, IL-8 production, and enteritis.

Clostridium difficile toxin A causes acute neutrophil infiltration and intestinal mucosal injury. In cultured cells, toxin A inactivates Rho proteins by monoglucosylation. In monocytes, toxin A induces IL-8 production and necrosis by unknown mechanisms. We investigated the role of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases in these events. In THP-1 monocytic cells, toxin A activated the 3 main MAP kinase cascades within 1 to 2 minutes. Activation of p38 was sustained, whereas stimulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase was transient. Rho glucosylation became evident after 15 minutes. IL-8 gene expression was reduced by 70% by the MEK inhibitor PD98059 and abrogated by the p38 inhibitor SB203580 or by overexpression of dominant-negative mutants of the p38-activating kinases MKK3 and MKK6. SB203580 also blocked monocyte necrosis and IL-1beta release caused by toxin A but not by other toxins. Finally, in mouse ileum, SB203580 prevented toxin A-induced neutrophil recruitment by 92% and villous destruction by 90%. Thus, in monocytes exposed to toxin A, MAP kinase activation appears to precede Rho glucosylation and is required for IL-8 transcription and cell necrosis. p38 MAP kinase also mediates intestinal inflammation and mucosal damage induced by toxin A.

Animals↗

STAT3 regulates NF-kappaB recruitment to the IL-12p40 promoter in dendritic cells.

Interleukin-10-deficient (IL-10(-/-)) mice develop an IL-12-mediated intestinal inflammation in the absence of endogenous IL-10. The molecular mechanisms of the dysregulated IL-12 responses in IL-10(-/-) mice are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) and signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-12p40 gene expression in bone marrow derived-dendritic cells (BMDCs) isolated from wild-type (WT) and IL-10(-/-) mice. We report higher IL-12p40 mRNA accumulation and protein secretion in LPS-stimulated BMDCs isolated from IL-10(-/-) compared with WT mice. LPS-induced NF-kappaB signaling is similar in IL-10(-/-) and WT BMDCs as measured by IkappaBalpha phosphorylation and degradation, RelA phosphorylation and nuclear translocation, and NF-kappaB transcriptional activity, with no down-regulatory effects of exogenous IL-10. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated enhanced NF-kappaB (cRel, RelA) binding to the IL-12p40 promoter in IL-10(-/-) but not WT BMDCs. Interestingly, LPS induced STAT3 phosphorylation in WT but not IL-10(-/-) BMDCs, a process blocked by IL-10 receptor blocking antibody. Adenoviral gene delivery of a constitutively active STAT3 but not control green fluorescence protein (GFP) virus blocked LPS-induced IL-12p40 gene expression and cRel recruitment to the IL-12p40 promoter. In conclusion, dysregulated LPS-induced IL-12p40 gene expression in IL-10(-/-) mice is due to enhanced NF-kappaB recruitment to the IL-12p40 promoter in the absence of activated STAT3.

Animals↗

Complement activation capacity in plasma before and during high-dose prednisolone treatment and tapering in exacerbations of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) are characterized by intestinal inflammation mainly caused by a disturbance in the balance between cytokines and increased complement (C) activation. Our aim was to evaluate possible associations between C activation capacity and prednisolone treatment. METHODS: Plasma from patients with exacerbations of UC (n = 18) or CD (n = 18) were collected before and during high dose prednisolone treatment (1 mg/kg body weight) and tapering. Friedman's two way analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test were used RESULTS: Before treatment, plasma from CD patients showed significant elevations in all C-mediated analyses compared to the values obtained from 38 healthy controls (p < 0.02), and in mannan binding lectin (MBL)-concentration and MBL-C4-activation capacity (AC) values compared to UC patients (p < 0.02). Before treatment, plasma from UC patients showed significant elevations only in the classical pathway-mediated C3-AC compared to values obtained from healthy controls (p < 0.01). After treatment was initiated, significant reductions, which persisted during follow-up, were observed in the classical pathway-mediated C3-AC and MBL-C4-AC in plasma from CD patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that C activation capacity is up-regulated significantly in plasma from CD patients. The decreases observed after prednisolone treatment reflect a general down-regulation in immune activation.

Adult↗

Chronic intermittent psychosocial stress (social defeat/overcrowding) in mice increases the severity of an acute DSS-induced colitis and impairs regeneration.

Ulcerative colitis is a multifactorial disease, with immunological, genetic, and environmental factors playing an important role in its pathogenesis. Here we investigated the consequences of exposure to chronic psychosocial stress on the severity of a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in male C57BL/6 mice. Chronic stress was induced by repeated exposure to social defeat (SD, 2 h) and overcrowding (OC, 24 h) during 19 consecutive days. SD/OC mice showed a diminished body weight gain, thymus-atrophy, and adrenal hypertrophy, but similar light-phase plasma corticosterone concentrations, compared with unstressed mice. In contrast, the rise in dark-phase corticosterone concentration was significantly attenuated in SD/OC mice, whereas plasma ACTH concentrations and hypothalamic CRH mRNA expression did not differ between stressed and nonstressed groups. Additionally, adrenal cells from SD/OC mice showed a decreased in vitro response to ACTH stimulation. Subsequent treatment with 1% DSS for 7 d resulted in a more severe intestinal inflammation in SD/OC mice, as reflected by an increase in body weight loss, histological damage scores, and secretion of IL-6, TNFalpha, and interferon-gamma from mesenteric lymph node cells and by decreased colon length. The impaired health status of stressed mice was also reflected by a significantly lower survival rate after termination of the DSS treatment. In conclusion, the present findings demonstrate that chronic intermittent exposure to a psychosocial stressor before the induction of acute DSS-colitis results in adrenal insufficiency, increases in the severity of the acute inflammation, and impairs the healing phase.

Acute Disease↗

Effects of growth hormone secretion on body composition in patients with Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease is a multisystem disorder characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation. Accumulation of mesenteric fat occurs in patients with Crohn's disease, although the mechanisms underlying site-specific changes in adipose deposition are unclear. To investigate whether there are alterations in site-specific adipose deposition in patients with Crohn's disease and to determine hormonal influences that may underlie such changes, we investigated body composition and serum hormone levels in 20 men with Crohn's disease (mean age, 45 +/- 2 yr) and 20 age-, gender-, and body mass index-matched normal controls (mean age, 43 +/- 3 yr). None of the Crohn's patients was receiving glucocorticoid therapy. Subjects underwent hourly GH sampling for 12 h beginning at 2000 h and fasting serum IGF-I and testosterone measurements. Body composition was assessed by quantitative computed tomography of the abdomen and bioelectrical impedance analysis. In the Crohn's disease and control subjects, mean serum GH levels were 1.07 +/- 0.2 and 1.7 +/- 0.2 ng/ml (P = 0.06), serum IGF-I levels were 162.7 +/- 10.5 and 194.8 +/- 15.7 ng/ml (P = 0.1), and serum testosterone levels were 489 +/- 33 and 514 +/- 38 ng/ml (P = NS), respectively. Percentage body fat was significantly higher in the Crohn's patients (21 +/- 0.8% vs. 17.7 +/- 0.9%, respectively; P = 0.013). Intraabdominal fat (IAF) was significantly higher in the Crohn's subjects vs. controls (115 +/- 11 vs. 69 +/- 7 cm(2), respectively; P = 0.001). The ratio of intraabdominal to total body fat was higher in the Crohn's subjects than in the controls (0.4 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.3 +/- 0.1, respectively; P = 0.025). Subcutaneous fat area was similar in the two groups. IAF was higher in Crohn's patients even when controlling for testosterone and mean serum GH. Mean serum GH contributed independently to the differences in IAF (P = 0.001). The ratio of IAF to total body fat remained higher in the Crohn's subjects when controlling for serum testosterone, but was no longer significant in a model that also included IGF-I and mean serum GH. GH levels contributed independently to the differences in the intraabdominal to total body fat ratio (P = 0.02). In the Crohn's patients, serum GH correlated negatively with intraabdominal and total body fat and the ratio of intraabdominal to total body fat. Crohn's disease is associated with an increase in central fat accumulation, with more IAF and a higher ratio of intraabdominal to total body fat compared with controls. Although serum GH levels were similar in the two groups, GH contributed significantly to the abdominal fat measurements. These data show that GH has an important role in modulating visceral fat distribution in patients with Crohn's disease.

Adipose Tissue↗

Drug therapy of inflammatory bowel disease.

The drugs that are effective in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) act by inhibiting the chronic unregulated intestinal inflammation in these patients. The mainstays of the drug therapy of IBD are a variety of formulations of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), the conventional and newer low bioavailability glucocorticoids, the nitroimidazole antibiotic metronidazole, and certain immunomodulating agents. Increased understanding of the mechanisms of inflammation in IBD has permitted the development of effective designer drugs. These agents are products of the biotechnology industry and include antibodies to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, antisense oligonucleotides and recombinant human interleukin (IL)-10. In addition, a number of other agents such as nicotine and n-3 fatty acids are useful in certain patients. This review first focuses on the pharmacology and mechanism of action of these drugs in IBD, followed by an approach to the treatment of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohns disease (CD). The recommendations consider type and activity of IBD and are based largely on data from controlled trials and systematic reviews in the IBD literature.

Journal Article↗

Novel approaches to inflammatory bowel disease.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are chronic, spontaneously relapsing disorders of unknown cause. These diseases appear to be immunologically mediated and have genetic and environmental influences. Although the cause of these diseases remains obscure, the pathogenesis of chronic intestinal inflammation is becoming clearer, due to improved animal models of enterocolitis and important advances in immunological techniques. Traditional therapy for IBD, although helping to induce and maintain disease remission, does little to alter the underlying fundamental disease process. New IBD therapy has not developed significantly over the past twenty years and includes 5-aminosalicylic acid preparations, corticosteroids and immunomodulatory agents, such as azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate. There is, therefore, a need for new, specific disease-modifying therapy and the development of such therapy has been hastened by a greater understanding of the pathophysiology of IBD. This review examines the most recent novel therapies for IBD, with specific emphasis on immunomodulatory and novel anti-inflammatory therapies. Recent clinical trials are reviewed, and the potential advances and clinical impact that these novel agents may provide are discussed.

Journal Article↗

Novel therapy for Crohn's disease targeting IL-6 signalling.

The aetiology of Crohn's disease (CD) remains unknown, however, the importance of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6 has been shown. IL-6 can transduce its signal into the cells lacking membrane-bound receptors by forming a complex with soluble IL-6R (sIL-6R). To pursue the therapeutic potential of IL-6 signalling blockade for CD, anti-IL-6R monoclonal antibody (mAb) was introduced to experimental colitis, and successfully prevented and treated intestinal inflammation by suppressing vascular adhesion molecules and by inducing lamina propria T cell apoptosis. Based on these results, the clinical trial of humanised anti-IL-6R mAb, MRA, was carried out. Eighty per cent of the patients given twice-weekly MRA had a significantly better clinical response rate as compared to 31% of the placebo-treated patients. The response rate of the every-4-weeks regimen was 42%. The incidence of adverse events was similar in all groups. These data strongly suggest a therapeutic potential of MRA for CD.

Animals↗

Probiotics: their role in the treatment and prevention of disease.

A probiotic is a "live microbial food ingredients that, when ingested in sufficient quantities, exerts health benefits on the consumer". Probiotics exert their benefits through several mechanisms; they prevent colonization, cellular adhesion and invasion by pathogenic organisms, they have direct antimicrobial activity and they modulate the host immune response. The strongest evidence for the clinical effectiveness of probiotics has been in their use for the prevention of symptoms of lactose intolerance, treatment of acute diarrhea, attenuation of antibiotic-associated gastrointestinal side effects and the prevention and treatment of allergy manifestations. More research needs to be carried out to clarify conflicting findings on the use of probiotics for prevention of travelers' diarrhea, infections in children in daycare and dental caries, and elimination of nasal colonization with potentially pathogenic bacteria. Promising ongoing research is being conducted on the use of probiotics for the treatment of Clostridium difficile colitis, treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection, treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and prevention of relapse, treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, treatment of intestinal inflammation in cystic fibrosis patients, and prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants. Finally, areas of future research include the use of probiotics for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, prevention of cancer and the treatment of graft-versus-host disease in bone marrow transplant recipients.

Gastrointestinal Diseases↗

Genome-wide Association Studies of the Pathogenic Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Gene in Ulcerative Colitis.

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can lead to malignancies over time. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor signaling affects lymphocyte trafficking and vascular integrity, influencing intestinal inflammation. This study aimed to identify S1P-related key genes in UC. METHODS: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the UC and control groups were analyzed in the GSE87473 (training) dataset. Genes overlapping between the DEGs and S1P-related genes were considered candidate genes. These genes were incorporated into machine learning algorithms and subjected to expression analysis to identify key genes. Gene functions were determined through a gene&#x2013;gene interaction network, enrichment analysis, and immune cell infiltration analysis. In addition, transcription factor&#x2013;mRNA and mRNA&#x2013;miRNA&#x2013;lncRNA networks were constructed. Finally, reverse transcription&#x2013;quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to evaluate the expression of key candidate genes in UC and control tissues. RESULTS: This study identified two key genes (SPHK2 and SPNS2) associated with UC. Notably, SPHK2 expression was lower and SPNS2 expression was higher in the UC group in both training and validation datasets and in clinical UC tissues (RT-qPCR). The area under the curve values of SPHK2 and SPNS2 exceeded 0.7 in both datasets, indicating that the genes had good diagnostic efficacy for UC. Consistently, the nomogram showed that the two genes had promising diagnostic value in UC. SPHK2 and SPNS2 were found to be localized to the plasma membrane. The correlations of the two genes with different immune cells showed significantly opposite trends. In particular, SPHK2 had the strongest positive correlation with M2 macrophages (r = 0.6) and the strongest negative correlation with neutrophils. Moreover, mRNA&#x2013;miRNA&#x2013;lncRNA and transcription factor&#x2013; mRNA networks of the key genes were constructed. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that SPHK2 and SPNS2 are key genes associated with UC, highlighting their potential as effective diagnostic biomarkers.

Humans↗

Differential angiogenic regulation of experimental colitis.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic inflammatory disorders of the intestinal tract with unknown multifactorial etiology that, among other things, result in alteration and dysfunction of the intestinal microvasculature. Clinical observations of increased colon microvascular density during IBD have been made. However, there have been no reports investigating the physiological or pathological importance of angiogenic stimulation during the development of intestinal inflammation. Here we report that the dextran sodium sulfate and CD4+CD45RBhigh T-cell transfer models of colitis stimulate angiogenesis that results in increased blood vessel density concomitant with increased histopathology, suggesting that the neovasculature contributes to tissue damage during colitis. We also show that leukocyte infiltration is an obligatory requirement for the stimulation of angiogenesis. The angiogenic response during experimental colitis was differentially regulated in that the production of various angiogenic mediators was diverse between the two models with only a small group of molecules being similarly controlled. Importantly, treatment with the anti-angiogenic agent thalidomide or ATN-161 significantly reduced angiogenic activity and associated tissue histopathology during experimental colitis. Our findings identify a direct pathological link between angiogenesis and the development of experimental colitis, representing a novel therapeutic target for IBD.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors↗

Molecular classification of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients using transcriptional profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) are common inflammatory bowel diseases producing intestinal inflammation and tissue damage. Although emerging evidence suggests these diseases are distinct, approximately 10% of patients remain classified as indeterminate inflammatory bowel disease even after invasive colonoscopy intended for diagnosis. A molecular diagnostic assay using a clinically accessible tissue would greatly assist in the classification of these diseases. In the present study we assessed transcriptional profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 42 healthy individuals, 59 CD patients, and 26 UC patients by hybridization to microarrays interrogating more than 22,000 sequences. Supervised analysis identified a set of 12 genes that distinguished UC and CD patient samples with high accuracy. The alterations in transcript levels observed by microarray were verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results suggest that a peripheral blood mononuclear cell-based gene expression signature can provide a molecular biomarker that can complement the standard diagnosis of UC and CD.

Adult↗

Evaluation of assays for perinuclear antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies and antibodies to Saccharomyces cerevisiae in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of immunofluorescence asssays for perinuclear antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCAs) and antibodies to Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ASCAs) in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and assess the clinical value of these serologic markers of the disease. ANIMALS: 39 dogs with IBD, 18 dogs with acute diarrhea, 19 dogs with chronic non-IBD-associated diarrhea, 26 healthy dogs of various breeds and age, and 22 healthy young working dogs. PROCEDURE: Sera obtained from the dogs in each group were added to canine granulocyte- and Saccharomyces cerevisiae-mounted slides for detection of pANCAs and ASCAs via immunofluorescence techniques. Sensitivity and specificity (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were calculated for the group of dogs with IBD versus each of the 2 groups of healthy dogs, the group of dogs with acute diarrhea, and the group of dogs with chronic non-IBD-associated diarrhea. RESULTS: Among the 39 dogs with IBD, 20 yielded positive results via the pANCA assay (sensitivity, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.35 to 0.67]) and 17 yielded positive results via the ASCA assay (sensitivity, 0.44 [95% CI, 0.22 to 0.69]). The specificity of the pANCA assay in the 4 groups of non-IBD-affected dogs ranged from 0.83 (95% CI, 0.85 to 0.96) to 0.95 (95% CI, 0.72 to 1.00). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Immunofluorescence assays for pANCA and ASCA appear to be useful for the detection of IBD in dogs. The pANCA immunofluorescence assay had high specificity for canine IBD, and pANCAs appear to be accurate markers of intestinal inflammation.

Animals↗

Faecal DL-lactate concentration in 100 gastrointestinal patients.

The relation between faecal DL-lactate and intestinal inflammation or malabsorption was evaluated in 100 nonselected inpatients at a referral center for gastrointestinal disorders. Twenty-one (21%) had DL-lactate concentrations (range, 8-95 mmol/l) above the 95% limit (6.1 mmol/l) in healthy individuals. Inflammatory bowel disease with active proctitis was associated with increased faecal DL-lactate in 11 of 15 patients (73%) (mean, 32 mmol/l; range, 8-95 mmol/l) and in the 1 patient with pouchitis (8 mmol/l), whereas only 1 of 8 patients (13%) with active inflammatory bowel disease without proctitis had L-lactate elevation (25 mmol/l). Among 26 patients with malabsorption and quiescent or noninflammatory bowel disease, 3 of 17 (18%) with preserved colonic function and 3 of 9 (33%) with jejunostomy had increased faecal lactate. Only 2 of 50 (4%) patients with neither active inflammatory bowel disease nor malabsorption had faecal DL-lactate elevation. In vitro bacterial fermentation of most dietary polysaccharides did not cause accumulation of lactate, corresponding to a lack of correlation between faecal carbohydrate excretion and lactate accumulation. An isolated increase in faecal L-lactate was observed in 6 of 13 patients with inflammatory bowel disease, whereas D-lactate was not increased without a simultaneous increase of the L-lactate isomer. In conclusion, the faecal lactate concentration was frequently increased in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and proctitis, occasionally increased in patients with severe malabsorption, and often normal in patients with quiescent inflammatory bowel disease or localized Crohn's ileitis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

A metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiota in a mouse model of fish allergy.

BACKGROUND: Fish are among the most frequent causes of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergies (Type I). Currently, there is no known cure for fish allergy and individuals who are sensitized have to practice strict, lifelong avoidance of fish products in their diets. The relationship between gut microbiome and food allergies is currently a major topic of discussion; these pathologies involve the development of dysbiosis, which is a microbial imbalance resulting from immune-related mechanisms. Recent studies have provided evidence that individuals suffering from food allergies, display an intestinal microbiota with a different microbial composition compared to healthy subjects. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: In this work, we have described for the first time the differences in microbiome composition in a mouse model of fish allergy with previous sensitization to the main allergen, beta-Parvalbumin (&#x3b2;-PRVB), compared to mouse individuals without allergic response. RESULTS: The metagenomic analysis has shown differences in taxonomic composition between the treatments. Regarding phyla, an increase in the relative abundance of Patescibacteria, specifically Saccharimonas genus and Candidatus_Saccharimonas group, were observed in the allergic animals (Prvb_Alum group) when compared to the other groups. In contrast, the relative abundance of the RF39 group (Bacilli), Atopobiaceae family, Erysipelotrichaceae, and the Coriobacteriaceae_UCG-002 group, was higher in the animals that did not develop an allergic response, despite being exposed to the allergen (Prvb group). Furthermore, an increase in the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae ASF356 group was observed in the control group compared to the other treatments. This family, has been reported to be inversely associated with the progression of intestinal inflammation and anaphylactic diseases. For the first time, the gut microbiota composition of individual mice with and without fish allergies is described in detail in this work. This study may shed light on the potential contribution of gut microbiota to the onset and avoidance of food allergies.

beta-parvalbumin↗

Changing face of irritable bowel syndrome.

Recent years have witnessed tremendous progress in our understanding of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is evident that this is a truly global disease associated with significant symptoms and impairments in personal and social functioning for afflicted individuals. Advances in our understanding of gut flora-mucosal interactions, the enteric nervous system and the brain-gut axis have led to substantial progress in the pathogenesis of symptoms in IBS and have provided some hints towards the basic etiology of this disorder, in some subpopulations, at the very least. We look forward to a time when therapy will be addressed to pathophysiology and perhaps, even to primary etiology. In the meantime, a model based on a primary role for intestinal inflammation serves to integrate the various strands, which contribute to the presentation of IBS.

Gastrointestinal Motility↗