The Drosophila melanogaster host model

The deleterious and sometimes fatal outcomes of bacterial infectious diseases are the net result of the interactions between the pathogen and the host, and the genetically tractable fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has emerged as a valuable tool for modeling the pathogen–host interactions of a wide variety of bacteria. These studies have revealed that there is a remarkable conservation of bacterial pathogenesis and host defence mechanisms between higher host organisms and Drosophila. This review presents an in-depth discussion of the Drosophila immune response, the Drosophila killing model, and the use of the model to examine bacterial–host interactions. The recent introduction of the Drosophila model into the oral microbiology field is discussed, specifically the use of the model to examine Porphyromonas gingivalis–host interactions, and finally the potential uses of this powerful model system to further elucidate oral bacterial-host interactions are addressed

Prostate cancer patients may have an increased risk of coexisting advanced colorectal neoplasms

Sun-Hye Ko,1,2 Myong Ki Baeg,2,3 Woong Jin Bae,4 Pumsoo Kim,3 Myung-Gyu Choi2 1Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; 2Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea; 3Department of Internal Medicine, International St Mary’s Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University, Incheon, South Korea; 4Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea Background/aims: Patients being treated for prostate cancer (PCa) have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, whether PCa patients are inherently at a higher risk of colorectal neoplasms (CRNs) is unknown. We aimed to investigate the risk of CRNs in PCa patients.Materials and methods: Patients who had been diagnosed with PCa at a tertiary medical center and had colonoscopy within 1 year of the PCa diagnosis were investigated. Patients were propensity-matched 1:2 by age and body mass index to asymptomatic control subjects who had undergone colonoscopy for routine health screening. CRN was defined as histological confirmation of an adenoma or adenocarcinoma component. Advanced CRN was defined as any of the following: 1) histological findings of high-grade dysplasia, 2) inclusion of villous features, 3) tumor ≥1 cm in size, or 4) presence of an adenocarcinoma. Risk factors for CRN and advanced CRN were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis.Results: A total of 191 patients diagnosed with PCa had colonoscopies within 1 year of PCa diagnosis. Of these, 23 patients with a history of previous malignancy and seven with incomplete colonoscopies were excluded, leaving 161 patients in the PCa group. Although presence of PCa was not a significant risk factor for CRN by multivariate analysis, PCa was a significant risk factor for advanced CRN (odds ratio [OR] 3.300; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.766–6.167; P<0.001). Other significant risk factors for advanced CRN were age (OR 1.050; 95% CI 1.003–1.009; P=0.036) and body mass index (OR 1.205; 95% CI 1.067–1.361; P=0.003), whereas aspirin use (OR 0.414; 95% CI 0.173–0.990; P=0.047) was a preventive factor.Conclusion: The risk of advanced CRN may be significantly increased in patients with PCa. Patients with PCa should have a colonoscopy at the time of PCa diagnosis. Keywords: colorectal neoplasms, prostate cancer, colonoscopy, colorectal adenoma and carcinom

Elderly women who received Helicobacter pylori-eradicating therapy have reduced risk of low skeletal muscle mass

Myong Ki Baeg, Myung-Gyu Choi, Sun-Hye Ko, Chul-Hyun Lim, Jin Su Kim, Yu Kyung Cho, Jae Myung Park, Young-Seok Cho, Bo-In Lee, In-Seok LeeDepartment of Internal Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of KoreaBackground: Sarcopenia is associated with adverse outcomes such as physical disability, poorer quality of life, and death. Helicobacter pylori (HP) eradication increases ghrelin secretion, which may be a possible treatment for sarcopenia. We investigated whether HP eradication reduces the risk of low muscle mass (LMM), which is an integral component of sarcopenia.Materials and methods: Healthy, asymptomatic women aged ≥60 years who participated in a health screening program were enrolled. Subjects with a history of HP eradication were compared with those who were HP IgG+, but had not received HP-eradicating therapy. Body composition was measured by multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. LMM was defined as body muscle mass 2 standard deviations below the mean muscle mass of healthy women aged 20–39 years from the same program. Multivariable analysis was used to identify sarcopenia risk factors.Results: Three hundred seventy-two women had received HP eradication, while 689 HP IgG+ women had not. The prevalence of LMM was significantly lower in those who received HP eradication (13.7% vs 21.6%, P=0.002). Multivariable analysis identified risk factors for LMM as age, white blood cell count, serum total protein concentration, and the metabolic syndrome. HP eradication (odds ratio: 0.632, 95% confidence interval: 0.440–0.824, P=0.013) was a significant preventive factor, and exercise (odds ratio: 0.710, 95% confidence interval: 0.504–1.002, P=0.051) had a preventive tendency.Conclusion: HP eradication might reduce LMM risk. This finding should be confirmed in prospective longitudinal studies to determine the long-term effects of HP eradication on sarcopenia.Keywords: sarcopenia, Helicobacter pylori, eradication, bioelectrical impedance analysi