Beta-amino acid transport in pig small intestine in vitro by a high-affinity, chloride-dependent carrier

AbstractThis study describes unidirectional influx of amino acids and d-glucose across the small intestinal brush-border membrane of fully weaned eight week old pigs. Influx is minimal in the duodenum and maximal in the distal and/or mid small intestine. Influx of β-alanine, taurine and N-ethyl-aminoisobutyric acid is chloride-dependent. The activation stoichiometry for taurine influx is 1.0 ± 0.2 chloride/2.4 ± 0.3 sodium/ 1 taurine. Influx of D-glucose, lysine, glycine and glutamate is chloride-independent. An ABC test demonstrates a common β-amino acid carrier: (a) the apparent affinity constant K12Taurine is 44 ± 13 μM (means ± S.D.) and the inhibitory constant (KiTaurine) against β-alanine influx is 41 ± 5 μM (means ± S.E.). (b) K12β-alanine is 97 ± 23 μM and Kiβ-alanine against taurine influx is 160 ± 22 μM. (c) KiHypotaunne against taurine and β-alanine influx is 43 ± 4 (n = 7) and 22 ± 5 μM (n = 7), respectively. In conclusion, a high affinity, low capacity, sodium- and chloride-dependent carrier of β-amino acids is present in pig small intestine

Budesonide as induction therapy for incomplete microscopic colitis: A randomised, placebo‐controlled multicentre trial

Background and aims: Incomplete microscopic colitis (MCi) is a subtype of microscopic colitis (MC). Budesonide is recommended as a first-line treatment for MC. However, randomised trials on efficacy of treatment in MCi are missing. We therefore performed a randomised, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate budesonide as induction therapy for MCi. Methods: Patients with active MCi were randomly assigned to either budesonide 9 mg once daily or placebo for 8 weeks in a double-blind, double-dummy design. The primary endpoint was clinical remission, defined as a mean of <3 stools/day and a mean of <1 watery stool/day in the 7 days before week 8. Results: Due to insufficient patient recruitment, the trial was discontinued prematurely. The intention-to-treat analysis included 44 patients (21 budesonide and 23 placebo). The primary endpoint of clinical remission at week 8 was obtained by 71.4% on budesonide and 43.5% on placebo (p = 0.0582). All clinical secondary endpoints were in favour of budesonide. Budesonide decreased the number of soft or watery stools (16.3 vs. 7.7, p = 0.0186) and improved health-related quality of life for all four dimensions of the short health scale. Adverse events with a suspected relation to study drug were reported in one patient in the budesonide group and two patients in the placebo group. Neither serious nor severe adverse events occurred during the double-blind phase. Conclusions: Budesonide decreased the frequency of soft or watery stools and improved the patients' quality of life significantly in MCi, but the primary endpoint was not met due to the low sample size (type 2 error). Budesonide was safe and well tolerated during the 8-weeks treatment course