Altered Expression of Somatostatin Receptors in Pancreatic Islets from NOD Mice Cultured at Different Glucose Concentrations In Vitro and in Islets Transplanted to Diabetic NOD Mice In Vivo

Somatostatin acts via five receptors (sst1–5). We investigated if the changes in pancreatic islet sst expression in diabetic NOD mice compared to normoglycemic mice are a consequence of hyperglycemia or the ongoing immune reaction in the pancreas. Pancreatic islets were isolated from NOD mice precultured for 5 days and further cultured for 3 days at high or low glucose before examined. Islets were also isolated from NOD mice and transplanted to normal or diabetic mice in a number not sufficient to cure hyperglycemia. After three days, the transplants were removed and stained for sst1–5 and islet hormones. Overall, changes in sst islet cell expression were more common in islets cultured in high glucose concentration in vitro as compared to the islet transplantation in vivo to diabetic mice. The beta and PP cells exhibited more frequent changes in sst expression, while the alpha and delta cells were relatively unaffected by the high glucose condition. Our findings suggest that the glucose level may alter sst expressed in islets cells; however, immune mechanisms may counteract such changes in islet sst expression

Treatment of acute diverticulitis laparoscopic lavage vs. resection (DILALA): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Perforated diverticulitis is a condition associated with substantial morbidity. Recently published reports suggest that laparoscopic lavage has fewer complications and shorter hospital stay. So far no randomised study has published any results.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>DILALA is a Scandinavian, randomised trial, comparing laparoscopic lavage (LL) to the traditional Hartmann's Procedure (HP). Primary endpoint is the number of re-operations within 12 months. Secondary endpoints consist of mortality, quality of life (QoL), re-admission, health economy assessment and permanent stoma. Patients are included when surgery is required. A laparoscopy is performed and if Hinchey grade III is diagnosed the patient is included and randomised 1:1, to either LL or HP. Patients undergoing LL receive > 3L of saline intraperitoneally, placement of pelvic drain and continued antibiotics. Follow-up is scheduled 6-12 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. A QoL-form is filled out on discharge, 6- and 12 months. Inclusion is set to 80 patients (40+40).</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>HP is associated with a high rate of complication. Not only does the primary operation entail complications, but also subsequent surgery is associated with a high morbidity. Thus the combined risk of treatment for the patient is high. The aim of the DILALA trial is to evaluate if laparoscopic lavage is a safe, minimally invasive method for patients with perforated diverticulitis Hinchey grade III, resulting in fewer re-operations, decreased morbidity, mortality, costs and increased quality of life.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>British registry (ISRCTN) for clinical trials <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN82208287">ISRCTN82208287</a><url>http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN82208287</url></p

Cohort Profile: Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study was established to assess the prevalence of chronic airflow obstruction, a key characteristic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and its risk factors in adults (≥40 years) from general populations across the world. The baseline study was conducted between 2003 and 2016, in 41 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, the Caribbean and Oceania, and collected high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry from 28 828 participants. The follow-up study was conducted between 2019 and 2021, in 18 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. At baseline, there were in these sites 12 502 participants with high-quality spirometry. A total of 6452 were followed up, with 5936 completing the study core questionnaire. Of these, 4044 also provided high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry. On both occasions, the core questionnaire covered information on respiratory symptoms, doctor diagnoses, health care use, medication use and ealth status, as well as potential risk factors. Information on occupation, environmental exposures and diet was also collected

Expression of ghrelin is correlated to a favorable outcome in invasive breast cancer

Background. Expression of the peptide hormones ghrelin and obestatin has previously been demonstrated in human mammary glands. However, the clinical implications of the expression of these peptides in breast cancer are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential clinical value of ghrelin and obestatin as breast cancer biomarkers. Methods. A tissue microarray containing breast cancer specimens from 144 patients was immunostained with antibodies directed towards ghrelin and obestatin. Using varying cut-offs, the expression of the two peptides was evaluated and correlated to previously known prognostic factors in breast cancer and to the outcome. Cox regression analysis was used to assess whether these markers may predict survival of breast cancer patients. Results. Moderate to strong immunoreactivity for ghrelin and obestatin was observed in 71.5% and 77.1% of the cases, respectively. Ghrelin and obestatin expression was significantly but weakly correlated to low histological grade, estrogen receptor positivity, small tumor size and low proliferation. Only ghrelin expression was significantly correlated to better recurrence-free and breast cancer-specific survival (HR = 0.3-0.4, p = 0.02-0.05) in both uni- and multivariate analyses. The optimal cut-off was any ghrelin expression versus none. Reproducibility between the two readers was very good for both stainings with kappa values of 0.94-1.00. Conclusions. Patients with tumors expressing ghrelin had 2.5-3 times lower risk for recurrence or breast cancer death than those lacking ghrelin expression. Ghrelin expression is easily assessable with high reproducibility using immunohistochemistry. Further investigations are needed to establish the clinical significance of ghrelin as a biomarker in breast cancer

Distribution of Obestatin and Ghrelin in Human Tissues: Immunoreactive Cells in the Gastrointestinal Tract, Pancreas, and Mammary Glands

Obestatin and ghrelin are two peptides derived from the same prohormone. It is well established that ghrelin is produced by endocrine cells in the gastric mucosa. However, the distribution of human obestatin immunoreactive cells is not thoroughly characterized. A polyclonal antibody that specifically recognizes human obestatin was produced. Using this antibody and a commercial antibody vs ghrelin, the distribution of obestatin and ghrelin immunoreactive cells was determined in a panel of human tissues using immunohistochemistry. The two peptides were detected in the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract, from cardia to ileum, and in the pancreatic islets. Interestingly, epithelial cells in the ducts of mammary glands showed distinct immunoreactivity for both ghrelin and obestatin. By double immunofluorescence microscopy, it was shown that all detected cells were immunoreactive for both peptides. Furthermore, the subcellular localization of obestatin and ghrelin was essentially identical, indicating that obestatin and ghrelin are stored in the same secretory vesicles. (J Histochem Cytochem 56:793–801, 2008

Ghrelin and Obestatin in Human Neuroendocrine Tumors : Expression and Effect on Obestatin Levels after Food Intake

Background: Ghrelin and obestatin are derived from the same peptide hormone precursor and are mainly produced by the gastric mucosa. Ghrelin is involved in many biological processes, whereas the physiological function of obestatin needs further investigation. The aims of the present study were to establish the incidence of ghrelin- and obestatin-immunoreactive cells in a comprehensive panel of human neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and to investigate if blood obestatin concentrations are influenced during a standardized meal stimulation test in healthy individuals and patients with NETs. Materials and Methods: The expression of ghrelin and obestatin was investigated in NETs (n = 149) and other endocrine-related disorders (n = 3) using immunohistochemistry with specific polyclonal antibodies. Coexpression of the peptides was evaluated by double immunofluorescence. Concentrations of obestatin in blood were measured during a meal test in 6 healthy individuals and 5 patients with pancreatic NETs. Results: Ghrelin and obestatin were expressed in 14/152 and 19/152 tumor tissues, respectively, mainly representing NETs of foregut origin and in pancreatic tissue from a nesidioblastosis patient. Double immunofluorescence staining showed colocalization of the peptides. During the meal test, obestatin levels in blood were unchanged in all patients but decreased significantly in the healthy individuals. Conclusion: Only a minority of NETs express ghrelin and obestatin. However, analysis of patients with tumors originating from tissues that express the peptides in normal conditions could be of importance. The results from the meal test indicate that the hormone levels are affected by food intake in healthy individuals, whereas obestatin levels remained unchanged in pancreatic NET patients

Ghrelin and Obestatin in Human Neuroendocrine Tumors : Expression and Effect on Obestatin Levels after Food Intake

Background: Ghrelin and obestatin are derived from the same peptide hormone precursor and are mainly produced by the gastric mucosa. Ghrelin is involved in many biological processes, whereas the physiological function of obestatin needs further investigation. The aims of the present study were to establish the incidence of ghrelin- and obestatin-immunoreactive cells in a comprehensive panel of human neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and to investigate if blood obestatin concentrations are influenced during a standardized meal stimulation test in healthy individuals and patients with NETs. Materials and Methods: The expression of ghrelin and obestatin was investigated in NETs (n = 149) and other endocrine-related disorders (n = 3) using immunohistochemistry with specific polyclonal antibodies. Coexpression of the peptides was evaluated by double immunofluorescence. Concentrations of obestatin in blood were measured during a meal test in 6 healthy individuals and 5 patients with pancreatic NETs. Results: Ghrelin and obestatin were expressed in 14/152 and 19/152 tumor tissues, respectively, mainly representing NETs of foregut origin and in pancreatic tissue from a nesidioblastosis patient. Double immunofluorescence staining showed colocalization of the peptides. During the meal test, obestatin levels in blood were unchanged in all patients but decreased significantly in the healthy individuals. Conclusion: Only a minority of NETs express ghrelin and obestatin. However, analysis of patients with tumors originating from tissues that express the peptides in normal conditions could be of importance. The results from the meal test indicate that the hormone levels are affected by food intake in healthy individuals, whereas obestatin levels remained unchanged in pancreatic NET patients

Histidine decarboxylase and urinary methylimidazoleacetic acid in gastric neuroendocrine cells and tumours

AIM: To study histidine decarboxylase (HDC) expression in normal and neoplastic gastric neuroendocrine cells in relationship to the main histamine metabolite. METHODS: Control tissues from fundus (n = 3) and corpus (n = 3) mucosa of six patients undergoing operations for gastric adenocarcinoma, biopsy and/or gastric surgical specimens from 64 patients with primary gastric neuroendocrine tumours (GNETs), as well as metastases from 22 of these patients, were investigated using conventional immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescence with commercial antibodies vs vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT-2), HDC and ghrelin. The urinary excretion of the main histamine metabolite methylimidazoleacetic acid (U-MeImAA) was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography in 27 of the 64 patients. RESULTS: In the gastric mucosa of the control tissues, co-localization studies identified neuroendocrine cells that showed immunoreactivity only to VMAT-2 and others with reactivity only to HDC. A third cell population co-expressed both antigens. There was no co-expression of HDC and ghrelin. Similar results were obtained in the foci of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia associated with chronic atrophic gastritis type A and also in the tumours. The relative incidence of the three aforementioned markers varied in the tumours that were examined using conventional immunohistochemistry. All of these GNETs revealed both VMAT-2 and HDC immunoreactivity, and their metastases showed an immunohistochemical pattern and frequency similar to that of their primary tumours. In four patients, increased U-MeImAA excretion was detected, but only two of the patients exhibited related endocrine symptoms. CONCLUSION: Human enterochromaffin-like cells appear to partially co-express VMAT-2 and HDC. Co-expression of VMAT-2 and HDC might be required for increased histamine production in patients with GNETs.Funding Agencies|Selander Foundation; Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research in Jonkoping</p

Histidine decarboxylase and urinary methylimidazoleacetic acid in gastric neuroendocrine cells and tumours

AIM: To study histidine decarboxylase (HDC) expression in normal and neoplastic gastric neuroendocrine cells in relationship to the main histamine metabolite. METHODS: Control tissues from fundus (n = 3) and corpus (n = 3) mucosa of six patients undergoing operations for gastric adenocarcinoma, biopsy and/or gastric surgical specimens from 64 patients with primary gastric neuroendocrine tumours (GNETs), as well as metastases from 22 of these patients, were investigated using conventional immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescence with commercial antibodies vs vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT-2), HDC and ghrelin. The urinary excretion of the main histamine metabolite methylimidazoleacetic acid (U-MeImAA) was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography in 27 of the 64 patients. RESULTS: In the gastric mucosa of the control tissues, co-localization studies identified neuroendocrine cells that showed immunoreactivity only to VMAT-2 and others with reactivity only to HDC. A third cell population co-expressed both antigens. There was no co-expression of HDC and ghrelin. Similar results were obtained in the foci of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia associated with chronic atrophic gastritis type A and also in the tumours. The relative incidence of the three aforementioned markers varied in the tumours that were examined using conventional immunohistochemistry. All of these GNETs revealed both VMAT-2 and HDC immunoreactivity, and their metastases showed an immunohistochemical pattern and frequency similar to that of their primary tumours. In four patients, increased U-MeImAA excretion was detected, but only two of the patients exhibited related endocrine symptoms. CONCLUSION: Human enterochromaffin-like cells appear to partially co-express VMAT-2 and HDC. Co-expression of VMAT-2 and HDC might be required for increased histamine production in patients with GNETs.Funding Agencies|Selander Foundation; Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research in Jonkoping</p