Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Sumaiah J. Alarfaj, Sally Abdallah Mostafa, Walaa A. Negm, Thanaa A. El-Masry, Marwa Kamal, Mohamed Elsaeed, Ahmed Mohamed El Nakib
Summary: Individual differences exist in the severity, behavior, progression, and therapy response of IBD patients. The evaluation of mucosal gene expression is crucial in understanding IBD, as it is initiated by a break in the intestinal epithelial barrier. Molecular analysis of biomarkers in intestinal biopsies provides a reliable means of assessing localized inflammation. This investigation aimed to identify changes in gene expression in the inflamed mucosa of IBD patients undergoing treatment with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5ASA) or anti-TNF drugs.
Article
Cell Biology
Lili Ye, Yongwei Lin, Xing-di Fan, Yaoming Chen, Zengli Deng, Qian Yang, Xiaotian Lei, Jizong Mao, Chunhui Cui
Summary: The number of patients with Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing globally. Researchers identified IBD-related genes using a SVM-based method based on disease similarities and gene interactions, achieving good results. The study highlights the importance of genetic factors in the occurrence of IBD.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Yingzheng Zhao, Pengpeng Xue, Gaolong Lin, Mengqi Tong, Jiaojiao Yang, Yingying Zhang, Kunjie Ran, Deli Zhuge, Qing Yao, Helin Xu
Summary: In this study, a double-network hydrogel (PMSP) was developed for the targeted therapy of ulcerative colitis (UC). PMSP showed specific adhesion to the inflamed mucosa and exhibited good mechanical strength and bio-adhesive force. The treatment with PMSP-KPV improved colitis symptoms, promoted the recovery of the colonic epithelial barrier, and modulated the gut flora.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Ruben Y. Gabriels, Arno R. Bourgonje, Julius Z. H. von Martels, Tjasso Blokzijl, Rinse K. Weersma, Kevin Galinsky, Julius Juarez, Klaas Nico Faber, Gursah Kats-Ugurlu, Gerard Dijkstra
Summary: This study aimed to explore the predictive value of mucosal eosinophils and serum eotaxin-1 regarding response to vedolizumab induction therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The results showed that mucosal eosinophil abundance in non-inflamed colonic tissue and baseline serum eotaxin-1 levels were associated with response to vedolizumab treatment. However, the predictive capacity of baseline serum eotaxin-1 levels could not be validated in another study cohort.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Ying Wang, Ningning Xue, Ziyuan Wang, Xin Zeng, Ning Ji, Qianming Chen
Summary: With improving quality of life, the pressure on oral health is increasing. Common oral mucosal diseases, such as oral lichen planus and gingivitis, are related to the destruction of the oral immune barrier. T-helper 17 (Th17) cells and their cytokines play vital roles in maintaining oral immune homeostasis. An excessive Th17/IL-17 response can lead to autoimmune damage, highlighting the importance of understanding the role of Th17 cells in oral mucosa and their potential as therapeutic targets for oral mucosal diseases.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Anna Onody, Apor Veres-Szekely, Domonkos Pap, Reka Rokonay, Beata Szebeni, Erna Sziksz, Franz Oswald, Gabor Veres, Aron Cseh, Attila J. Szabo, Adam Vannay
Summary: The study demonstrates increased IL-24 expression in serum and colon samples of children with IBD and DSS treated mice. Inflammatory factors such as IL-1 beta, LPS, and H2O2 can increase IL24 expression in PBMCs and LPMCs. IL-24 treatment promotes the expression of TGF-beta and PDGF-B in HT-29 cells, as well as enhances ECM-related gene expression and motility in CCD-18Co cells.
JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Yaoyao Chang, Lixiang Zhai, Jiao Peng, Haiqiang Wu, Zhaoxiang Bian, Haitao Xiao
Summary: IBD is a chronic inflammatory intestinal disorder with limited treatment options, and correcting the imbalance of Th17/Treg has been shown to be effective in preventing and treating IBD. Phytochemicals derived from natural products have been recognized as potent regulators of Th17/Treg and may offer protective benefits against colonic inflammation, showing great potential for the development of new drugs for IBD treatment.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2021)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Eduardo J. Villablanca, Katja Selin, Charlotte R. H. Hedin
Summary: Current treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mainly focus on inhibiting inflammation, but the use of immunosuppressive therapy can lead to infectious and neoplastic diseases. Therefore, finding a way to achieve mucosal healing without immunosuppression is important. The lack of treatments that directly promote mucosal healing and regeneration in IBD may be due to a lack of understanding of the underlying pathways. Stem cells, growth factors, and organoid culture and stem cell therapy are potential novel mechanisms to restore barrier function in IBD.
NATURE REVIEWS GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Writaja Halder, Faidon-Marios Laskaratos, Hanan El-Mileik, Sergio Coda, Stevan Fox, Saswata Banerjee, Owen Epstein
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has heavily impacted healthcare services for patients with chronic diseases. This review explores the use of colon capsule endoscopy as a method for assessing and treating inflammatory bowel disease. Despite its limitations, there is increasing evidence to support the use of the second-generation colon capsule.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marcello Candelli, Laura Franza, Giulia Pignataro, Veronica Ojetti, Marcello Covino, Andrea Piccioni, Antonio Gasbarrini, Francesco Franceschi
Summary: The article discusses the interaction between lipopolysaccharides (LPS), gut microbiota (GM), and gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), indicating that the inflammatory reactions caused by LPS can directly impact the gut microbiota and immune system, leading to chronic inflammation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Pediatrics
Asia Smith, Shweta Namjoshi, John A. Kerner, James C. Y. Dunn
Summary: This study retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 51 children with short bowel syndrome and found that small bowel length and type of remnant intestine were associated with the duration of parenteral nutrition use. Children with longer small bowel length achieved enteral autonomy faster. The presence of ileocecal valve and ileum enhanced the ability to wean from parenteral nutrition. Patients with the entire colon achieved enteral autonomy sooner than those with partial colon.
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC SURGERY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michelle Temby, Theresa L. Boye, Jacqueline Hoang, Ole H. Nielsen, John Gubatan
Summary: This article reviews the role of kinase signaling pathways in colitis-associated colon cancer, including MAPK, CDK, autophagy-activated kinases, JAK-STAT, and other kinases. It also discusses the involvement of JAK-STAT signaling in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the potential use of JAK inhibitors for treating IBD.
Review
Microbiology
Sean L. Carlson, Liya Mathew, Michael Savage, Klaartje Kok, James O. Lindsay, Carol A. Munro, Neil E. Mccarthy
Summary: The gut microbiome, consisting of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, plays a crucial role in the development of inflammatory bowel disease. Candida albicans, a common gut commensal and pathogenic fungus, has been extensively studied for its impact on the pathophysiology of IBD.
Article
Cell Biology
Yongyu Chen, Jing Lei, Song He
Summary: Evidence suggests a connection between m(6)A modification and immune infiltration in IBD. The study identified decreased expression of IGF2BP1 and IGF2BP2 in CD tissues, and decreased expression of IGF2BP2 in UC tissues. It also found associations between different m(6)A clusters and specific immune cell types in the intestinal mucosa.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Miha Jerala, Nina Hauptman, Nika Kojc, Nina Zidar
Summary: By comparing gene expression data of liver and kidney fibrosis, we identified several genes that are important for fibrosis in inflammatory bowel diseases. These genes showed similar expression changes as in fibrosis of other organs, suggesting common mechanisms of fibrosis in different organ diseases. In addition, some genes were already active in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases even without fibrosis, indicating early activation of profibrotic pathways or overlapping functions between fibrosis and inflammation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cindy Ka Y. Law, Kankana Kundu, Luiza Bonin, Lorena Penacoba-Antona, Eduardo Bolea-Fernandez, Frank Vanhaecke, Korneel Rabaey, Abraham Esteve-Nunez, Bart De Gusseme, Nico Boon
Summary: In this study, biogenic palladium nanoparticles were used for the reductive transformation and/or dehalogenation of persistent micropollutants. The size of the nanoparticles and their catalytic activity could be controlled by adjusting the H-2 flow rate. The results showed that the nanoparticles with larger sizes exhibited higher catalytic activity and more efficient removal of micropollutants.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Simon Krabbe, Thomas Renson, Lennart Jans, Dirk Elewaut, Filip Van den Bosch, Philippe Carron, Mikkel Ostergaard
Summary: The study aims to investigate the reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of a novel MRI scoring system in early peripheral SpA (pSpA). Results showed that the proposed MRI lower-extremity inflammation index demonstrated good reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change in patients with early pSpA, and was correlated with other measures of disease activity.
Article
Rheumatology
Desiree van der Heijde, Atul Deodhar, Xenofon Baraliakos, Matthew A. Brown, Hiroaki Dobashi, Maxime Dougados, Dirk Elewaut, Alicia M. Ellis, Carmen Fleurinck, Karl Gaffney, Lianne S. Gensler, Nigil Haroon, Marina Magrey, Walter P. Maksymowych, Alexander Marten, Ute Massow, Marga Oortgiesen, Denis Poddubnyy, Martin Rudwaleit, Julie Shepherd-Smith, Tetsuya Tomita, Filip van den Bosch, Thomas Vaux, Huji Xu
Summary: The BE MOBILE 1 and BE MOBILE 2 trials demonstrated that bimekizumab, a dual IL-17A and IL-17F inhibitor, improved efficacy outcomes in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and was well tolerated. These findings support the use of bimekizumab as a potential treatment option for axSpA.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Letter
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Debby Laukens, Marie Truyens
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Wannes Van Holm, Rita Carvalho, Lize Delanghe, Tom Eilers, Naiera Zayed, Fabian Mermans, Kristel Bernaerts, Nico Boon, Ingmar Claes, Sarah Lebeer, Wim Teughels
Summary: Several oral diseases are caused by changes in the oral microbiome, and antibiotics are commonly used to treat them. However, due to antibiotic resistance, alternatives such as probiotics are being explored. This study compared the effects of different strains of Lactobacillus and Streptococcus salivarius on oral biofilms. It was found that certain Lactobacillus strains reduced the pathobiont A. actinomycetemcomitans, while S. salivarius strains were more effective against other pathobionts.
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Naiera Zayed, Joana Figueiredo, Wannes Van Holm, Nico Boon, Kristel Bernaerts, Wim Teughels
Summary: This study investigates the effect of exposing living oral bacteria to their dead siblings after being killed by heat or hydrogen peroxide. The tested bacterial species showed different responses towards the dead cells depending on the mode of killing, nutritional value of the culture media, and dead cells density. The study suggests that dead bacteria resulting from antiseptics use may imbalance the nutrient availability in the oral cavity, resulting in overgrowth of opportunistic species and ecological changes in oral communities.
JOURNAL OF ORAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Amber Baele, Fien Waegenaar, Katrien De Maeyer, Bart De Gusseme, Han Vervaeren, Pieter Spanoghe, Nico Boon
Summary: Providing safe and high-quality drinking water is increasingly important due to climate change and population growth. Water towers are commonly used for storage and distribution, but microbial regrowth and the presence of insects such as flies pose a challenge. A study in Belgium monitored ten water towers for fly species diversity, abundances, and activity. The results found three fly species present, and they entered the towers in autumn and sought shelter on the highest floors where the water tank is located. Prevention measures are crucial to avoid contact between flies and drinking water in water towers, and effective methods such as sealing ventilation and covering water tanks with insect screens are discussed.
FRONTIERS IN WATER
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Manouk de Hooge, Alla Ischenko, Serge Steinfeld, Adrien Nzeusseu, Dirk Elewaut, Rik Lories, Filip van den Bosch, Kurt De Vlam
Summary: This study investigates the association between different definitions of axial involvement and syndesmophytes development in patients with Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA). The results show that the probability of developing syndesmophytes is much higher when axial involvement is determined radiographically rather than clinically, particularly in the context of high CRP.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Justien Ghesquiere, Kenneth Simoens, Erin Koos, Nico Boon, Wim Teughels, Kristel Bernaerts
Summary: This study established a drip flow biofilm reactor to mimic the natural environment of the oral cavity and successfully created a complex multispecies periodontal model similar to that of a healthy individual. Using this model, the researchers validated the multifaceted effects of L-arginine on the oral biofilm, including inhibiting the growth and incorporation of pathogenic species, reducing biofilm thickness and volume, and producing specific metabolic products. This drip flow reactor setup shows promising potential for studying the spatiotemporal behavior of a multispecies periodontal community.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Miao Peng, Maaike Vercauteren, Charlotte Grootaert, Andreja Rajkovic, Nico Boon, Colin Janssen, Jana Asselman
Summary: This study investigated the cellular and bioenergetic effects of microplastics (MPs) on four types of human cell lines in different exposure scenarios. The results showed that even after a single intake, MPs had significant long-term impacts on cellular and mitochondrial functions, potentially leading to chronic stress and harmful effects.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Wannes Van Holm, Katalina Lauwens, Pieter De Wever, Art Schuermans, Naiera Zayed, Ferda Pamuk, Mehraveh Saghi, Pedro Fardim, Kristel Bernaerts, Nico Boon, Wim Teughels
Summary: Probiotics may have oral health benefits, but their current use is restricted due to issues with product preparation, viability, and colonization capacity. Many commercial products lack the claimed amounts of viable cells and have inadequately characterized strains without clinical evidence. Lyophilized probiotics also demonstrate lower adhesive capacity compared to fresh or reactivated ones, raising questions about their usage.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Cristina Garcia-Timermans, Bram Malfroot, Cameron Dierendonck, Zoe Mol, Thomas Pluym, Fien Waegenaar, Jan B. A. Arends, Kristof Demeestere, Christophe Walgraeve, Nico Boon, Bart De Gusseme
Summary: Researchers have developed a novel pilot plant design that mimics distribution networks to monitor changes in drinking water quality, such as taste and odor events and microbial regrowth. The pilot plant includes sensors and instrumentation, with three independent loops allowing simultaneous testing of three different conditions. Real-time measurements and biofilm sampling inside the pipes are feasible, making it suitable for studying various factors affecting DW quality in the distribution network.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Valentin Faust, Nico Boon, Ramon Ganigue, Siegfried E. Vlaeminck, Kai M. Udert
Summary: Nitrification in urine stabilization requires controlling pH within an appropriate range. A narrow pH control band increases microbial diversity and improves process robustness, but is more susceptible to external disturbances.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Koen Venken, Tine Decruy, Tim Sparwasser, Dirk Elewaut
Summary: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) and invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells play a crucial role in controlling autoimmune diseases. The study reveals that Treg depletion enhances iNKT cell responses and leads to severe liver and gut pathology in preclinical models of autoimmunity.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ruben Van den Eeckhoudt, An-Sofie Christiaens, Frederik Ceyssens, Vasileios Vangalis, Kevin J. Verstrepen, Nico Boon, Filip Tavernier, Michael Kraft, Irene Taurino
Summary: This paper introduces a microfluidic device for full-electric cell capturing, analyzing, and selectively releasing single cells. The device was experimentally demonstrated on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, showing potential for small-scale, high-throughput single-cell analysis and sorting.