Divergent Annexin A1 expression in periphery and gut is associated with systemic immune activation and impaired gut immune response during SIV infection.

HIV-1 disease progression is paradoxically characterized by systemic chronic immune activation and gut mucosal immune dysfunction, which is not fully defined. Annexin A1 (ANXA1), an inflammation modulator, is a potential link between systemic inflammation and gut immune dysfunction during the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection. Gene expression of ANXA1 and cytokines were assessed in therapy-naïve rhesus macaques during early and chronic stages of SIV infection and compared with SIV-negative controls. ANXA1 expression was suppressed in the gut but systemically increased during early infection. Conversely, ANXA1 expression increased in both compartments during chronic infection. ANXA1 expression in peripheral blood was positively correlated with HLA-DR+CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell frequencies, and negatively associated with the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and CCR5. In contrast, the gut mucosa presented an anergic cytokine profile in relation to ANXA1 expression. In vitro stimulations with ANXA1 peptide resulted in decreased inflammatory response in PBMC but increased activation of gut lymphocytes. Our findings suggest that ANXA1 signaling is dysfunctional in SIV infection, and may contribute to chronic inflammation in periphery and with immune dysfunction in the gut mucosa. Thus, ANXA1 signaling may be a novel therapeutic target for the resolution of immune dysfunction in HIV infection

Molecular Analysis Reveals Unique Microbiome in Ileal Pouch During Pouchitis Compared to Healthy Pouches in Ulcerative Colitis and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

In severe cases of ulcerative colitis (UC) unresponsive to current treatment options, patients require a complete proctocolectomy, or surgical removal of the colon. Ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) has become the preferred surgical technique for patients who require surgery, as this method restores rectal function. This procedure is also used to treat colorectal cancers such as adenocarcinoma and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). The surgery involves an abdominal colectomy with the construction of an ileal pouch created from folded tissue recovered from the ileal portion of the small intestine. Up to 50% of patients who require IPAA surgery experience an episode of pouchitis, a non-specific inflammation of the constructed ileal pouch with unknown etiology. Several hypotheses have been proposed regarding the pathogenesis of pouchitis. Current theories include bacterial overgrowth due to fecal stasis, microbial imbalance (dysbiosis), immune alteration, genetic susceptibility, metaplasia, ischemic complications of surgery, a recurrence of UC, or even a novel form of inflammatory bowel disease. The efficacy of antibiotics and probiotics in treating pouchitis and maintaining remission underscores the importance of gut microbiota in the development of this condition. In the study, we aimed to characterize the intestinal bacterial communities that inhabit IPAA pouches of both UC and FAP patients, in an effort to investigate the hypothesis that bacterial dysbiosis is involved in the pathogenesis of pouchitis. Mucosal biopsy and stool samples were analyzed from patients with UC and pouchitis (UCP), healthy UC controls (HUC) and healthy pouches with a background of FAP (FAP). Samples were examined through analysis of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms (TRF) and DNA sequencing. The data presented here demonstrate that a microbial imbalance exists in pouchitis, as bacterial communities in pouchitis differ significantly from healthy UC pouches and pouches constructed for FAP. Both methods identified potential groups of organisms that may play a role in the development of pouchitis, including decreases in protective Lactobacillus and Bacteroides and increases in mucin-degrading Clostridium and Akkermansia. A better understanding of the factors driving the pathogenesis of pouchitis will not only benefit patients with this disease, but also lead to a better understanding of the complex relationship that exists between the human host and the diverse community of organisms that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract

Distinct Microbiome in Pouchitis Compared to Healthy Pouches in Ulcerative Colitis and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Background: Pouchitis occurs in up to 50% of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) undergoing ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA). Pouchitis rarely occurs in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) who undergo IPAA. Our aim was to compare mucosal and luminal flora in patients with UC-associated pouchitis (UCP), healthy UC pouches (HUC), and healthy FAP pouches (FAP). Methods: Nineteen patients were enrolled in thi s cross-sectional study (nine UCP, tl1ree HUC, seven FAP). Patie nts with active pouchitis were identified using the Pouchitis Disease Activity Index (PDAI). Ileal pouch mucosal biopsies and fecal samples were analyzed with a 16S rDNA-based terminal restriction fr agment length polymorphism (TRFLP) approach. Pooled fecal DNA from four UCP and four FAP pouches were sequenced for further speciation. Results: TRFLP data revealed statistically significant diffe rences in the mucosal and fecal microbiota between each group of patients. UCP samples exhibited significantly more TRFLP peaks matching Clostridium and Eubacterium genera compared to HUC and FAP pouches and fewer peaks matching Lactobacillus and Streptococcus genera compared to FAP. DNA Sanger sequencing of a subset of luminal samples revealed UCP having more identifiable sequences of Firmicutes (51.2% versus 2 1.2%) and Verrucomicrobia (20.2% versus 3.2%), and fewer Bacteroidetes (1 7.9% versus 60.5%) and Proteobacteria (9.8% versus 14.7%) compared to FAP. Conclusions: The pouch microbial environment appears to be distinctly different in the settings of UC pouchitis, healthy UC, and FAP. These findings suggest that a dysbiosis may exist in pouchitis which may be central to understanding the disease

Heightened Cytotoxic Responses and Impaired Biogenesis Contribute to Early Pathogenesis in the Oral Mucosa of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rhesus Macaques▿

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection disseminated into the oropharyngeal tissues of rhesus macaques 6 weeks following intravenous inoculation. Severe local CD4+ T-cell depletion coincided with increases in NK cell and proinflammatory biomarkers and the disruption of growth-associated gene transcription, demonstrating the rapid establishment of pathogenesis in the oral mucosa

Divergent Annexin A1 expression in periphery and gut is associated with systemic immune activation and impaired gut immune response during SIV infection.

HIV-1 disease progression is paradoxically characterized by systemic chronic immune activation and gut mucosal immune dysfunction, which is not fully defined. Annexin A1 (ANXA1), an inflammation modulator, is a potential link between systemic inflammation and gut immune dysfunction during the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection. Gene expression of ANXA1 and cytokines were assessed in therapy-naïve rhesus macaques during early and chronic stages of SIV infection and compared with SIV-negative controls. ANXA1 expression was suppressed in the gut but systemically increased during early infection. Conversely, ANXA1 expression increased in both compartments during chronic infection. ANXA1 expression in peripheral blood was positively correlated with HLA-DR+CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell frequencies, and negatively associated with the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and CCR5. In contrast, the gut mucosa presented an anergic cytokine profile in relation to ANXA1 expression. In vitro stimulations with ANXA1 peptide resulted in decreased inflammatory response in PBMC but increased activation of gut lymphocytes. Our findings suggest that ANXA1 signaling is dysfunctional in SIV infection, and may contribute to chronic inflammation in periphery and with immune dysfunction in the gut mucosa. Thus, ANXA1 signaling may be a novel therapeutic target for the resolution of immune dysfunction in HIV infection

Distinct microbiome in pouchitis compared to healthy pouches in ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis

Background: Pouchitis occurs in up to 50% of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) undergoing ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA). Pouchitis rarely occurs in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) who undergo IPAA. Our aim was to compare mucosal and luminal flora in patients with UC-associated pouchitis (UCP), healthy UC pouches (HUC), and healthy FAP pouches (FAP). Methods: Nineteen patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study (nine UCP, three HUC, seven FAP). Patients with active pouchitis were identified using the Pouchitis Disease Activity Index (PDAI). Ileal pouch mucosal biopsies and fecal samples were analyzed with a 16S rDNA-based terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) approach. Pooled fecal DNA from four UCP and four FAP pouches were sequenced for further speciation. Results: TRFLP data revealed statistically significant differences in the mucosal and fecal microbiota between each group of patients. UCP samples exhibited significantly more TRFLP peaks matching Clostridium and Eubacterium genera compared to HUC and FAP pouches and fewer peaks matching Lactobacillus and Streptococcus genera compared to FAP. DNA Sanger sequencing of a subset of luminal samples revealed UCP having more identifiable sequences of Firmicutes (51.2% versus 21.2%) and Verrucomicrobia (20.2% versus 3.2%), and fewer Bacteroidetes (17.9% versus 60.5%) and Proteobacteria (9.8% versus 14.7%) compared to FAP. Conclusions: The pouch microbial environment appears to be distinctly different in the settings of UC pouchitis, healthy UC, and FAP. These findings suggest that a dysbiosis may exist in pouchitis which may be central to understanding the disease. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2011;17:1092-1100