Dietary phenethylisothiocyanate attenuates bowel inflammation in mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Phenethylisothiocyanate (PEITC) is produced by Brassica food plants. PEO is a <b>P</b>EITC <b>E</b>ssential <b>O</b>il containing >95% natural PEITC. PEITC is known to produce various health benefits but its effect in alleviation of ulcerative colitis signs is unknown.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In two efficacy studies (acute and chronic) oral administration of PEO was effective at remitting acute and chronic signs of ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. Disease activity, histology and biochemical characteristics were measured in the treated animals and were compared with appropriate controls. PEO treatment significantly improved body weights and stool consistency as well as decreased intestinal bleeding. PEO treatment also reduced mucosal inflammation, depletion of goblet cells and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Attenuation of proinflammatory interleukin1β production was observed in the colons of PEO-treated animals. Expression analyses were also carried out for immune function related genes, transcription factors and cytokines in lipopolysaccharide-activated mouse macrophage cells. PEO likely affects an intricate network of immune signaling genes including a novel concentration dependent reduction of total cellular Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1 (STAT1) as well as nuclear phosphorylated-STAT1 (activated form of STAT1). A PEO-concentration dependent decrease of mRNA of C-X-C motif ligand 10 (a STAT1 responsive chemokine) and Interleukin 6 were also observed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>PEO might be a promising candidate to develop as a treatment for ulcerative colitis patients. The disease attenuation by PEO is likely associated with suppression of activation of STAT1 transcription and inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines.</p

Impact of non-axillary sentinel node biopsy on staging and treatment of breast cancer patients

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of lymphatic drainage to non-axillary sentinel nodes and to determine the implications of this phenomenon. A total of 549 breast cancer patients underwent lymphoscintigraphy after intratumoural injection of 99mTc-nanocolloid. The sentinel node was intraoperatively identified with the aid of intratumoural administered patent blue dye and a gamma-ray detection probe. Histopathological examination of sentinel nodes included step-sectioning at six levels and immunohistochemical staining. A sentinel node outside level I or II of the axilla was found in 149 patients (27%): internal mammary sentinel nodes in 86 patients, other non-axillary sentinel nodes in 44 and both internal mammary and other non-axillary sentinel nodes in nineteen patients. The intra-operative identification rate was 80%. Internal mammary metastases were found in seventeen patients and metastases in other non-axillary sentinel nodes in ten patients. Staging improved in 13% of patients with non-axillary sentinel lymph nodes and their treatment strategy was changed in 17%. A small proportion of clinically node negative breast cancer patients can be staged more precisely by biopsy of sentinel nodes outside level I and II of the axilla, resulting in additional decision criteria for postoperative regional or systemic therapy

The Major Green Tea Polyphenol, (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate, Inhibits Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Fatty Liver Disease in High-Fat-Fed Mice

In this study, we investigated the effects of the major green tea polyphenol, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), on high-fat-induced obesity, symptoms of the metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver in mice. In mice fed a high-fat diet (60% energy as fat), supplementation with dietary EGCG treatment (3.2 g/kg diet) for 16 wk reduced body weight (BW) gain, percent body fat, and visceral fat weight (P \u3c 0.05) compared with mice without EGCG treatment. The BW decrease was associated with increased fecal lipids in the high-fat-fed groups (r2 = 0.521; P \u3c 0.05). EGCG treatment attenuated insulin resistance, plasma cholesterol, and monocyte chemoattractant protein concentrations in high-fat-fed mice (P \u3c 0.05). EGCG treatment also decreased liver weight, liver triglycerides, and plasma alanine aminotransferase concentrations in high-fat-fed mice (P \u3c 0.05). Histological analyses of liver samples revealed decreased lipid accumulation in hepatocytes in mice treated with EGCG compared with high-fat diet-fed mice without EGCG treatment. In another experiment, 3-mo-old high-fat-induced obese mice receiving short-term EGCG treatment (3.2 g/kg diet, 4 wk) had decreased mesenteric fat weight and blood glucose compared with high-fat-fed control mice (P \u3c 0.05). Our results indicate that long-term EGCG treatment attenuated the development of obesity, symptoms associated with the metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver. Short-term EGCG treatment appeared to reverse preexisting high-fat-induced metabolic pathologies in obese mice. These effects may be mediated by decreased lipid absorption, decreased inflammation, and other mechanisms

Green Tea Polyphenols Modify the Gut Microbiome in db/db Mice as Co-Abundance Groups Correlating with the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect.

SCOPE: The effects of green tea polyphenols, Polyphenon E (PPE), and black tea polyphenols, theaflavins (TFs), on gut microbiota and development of diabetes in db/db mice are investigated and compared. METHODS AND RESULTS: Supplementation of PPE (0.1%) in the diet of female db/db mice for 7 weeks decreases fasting blood glucose levels and mesenteric fat while increasing the serum level of insulin, possibly through protection against β-cell damage. However, TFs are less or not effective. Microbiome analysis through 16S rRNA gene sequencing shows that PPE and TFs treatments significantly alter the bacterial community structure in the cecum and colon, but not in the ileum. The key bacterial phylotypes responding to the treatments are then clustered into 11 co-abundance groups (CAGs). CAGs 6 and 7, significantly increased by PPE but not by TFs, are negatively associated with blood glucose levels. The operational taxonomic units in these CAGs are from two different phyla, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. CAG 10, decreased by PPE and TFs, is positively associated with blood glucose levels. CONCLUSION: Gut microbiota respond to tea polyphenol treatments as CAGs instead of taxa. Some of the CAGs associated with the blood glucose lowering effect are enriched by PPE, but not TFs

Low-threshold SARS-CoV-2 testing facility for hospital staff: Prevention of COVID-19 outbreaks?

Background: The ongoing global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused over 4.7 million infections greatly challenging healthcare workers (HCW) and medical institutions worldwide. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has shown to significantly impact mental and physical health of HCW. Thus, implementation of testing facilities supporting HCW are urgently needed. Methods: A low-threshold SARS-CoV-2 testing facility was introduced at the University Hospital Bonn, Germany, in March 2020. Irrespective of clinical symptoms employees were offered a voluntary and free SARS-CoV-2 test. Furthermore, employees returning from SARS-CoV-2 risk regions and employees after risk contact with SARSCoV-2 infected patients or employees were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Pharyngeal swabs were taken and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for detection of SARS-CoV-2 was performed, test results being available within 24 h. Profession, symptoms and reason for SARS-CoV-2 testing of employees were recorded. Results: Between 9th March and April 30, 2020, a total of 1510 employees were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection. 1185 employees took advantage of the low-threshold testing facility. One percent (n = 11) were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection, 18% being asymptomatic, 36% showing mild and 36% moderate/severe symptoms (missing 10%). Furthermore, of 56 employees returning from SARS-CoV-2 risk regions, 18% (10/56) were tested SARS-CoV-2 positive. After risk contact tracking by the hospital hygiene 6 patient-to-employee transmissions were identified in 163 employees with contact to 55 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients. Conclusion: In the absence of easily accessible public SARS-CoV-2 testing facilities low-threshold SARS-CoV-2 testing facilities in hospitals with rapid testing resources help to identify SARS-CoV-2 infected employees with absent or mild symptoms, thus stopping the spread of infection in vulnerable hospital environments. High levels of professional infection prevention training and implementation of specialized wards as well as a perfectly working hospital hygiene network identifying and tracking risk contacts are of great importance in a pandemic setting