High levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA)-coated bacteria may have a role in driving inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We therefore investigated the effect of sodium butyrate on microbiota in IBD prone interleukin (IL)-10^−/− mice. At 8 weeks of age, mice were allocated into three groups (n = 4/group): normal (C57BL/6), IL-10^−/−, and IL-10^−/− treated with sodium butyrate (100 mM). Severity of colitis, inflammatory cytokine and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration in proximal colon contents, the percentage of IgA-coated bacteria and microbiota composition by 16S ribosomal RNA assessment of stool were measured after 4 weeks of treatment. Sodium butyrate ameliorated histological colitis and decreased levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-6 in IL-10^−/− mice compared with those without treatment. At the phylum level, a reduction in Bacteroidetes and an increase in Firmicutes in IL-10^−/− mice treated with sodium butyrate were observed. Additionally, Prevotellaceae species were reduced in IL-10^−/− mice treated with sodium butyrate as compared with those without treatment. The level of biodiversity was slightly increased and the amount of IgA-coated bacteria decreased in IL-10^−/− mice treated with sodium butyrate compared with those without treatment. Our results indicate that sodium butyrate protects against colitis, possibly through modifying the gut microbiota, enriching biodiversity and reducing the amount of colitogenic IgA-coated bacteria in IL-10^−/− mice.

G protein-coupled receptor 43/free fatty acid receptor 2 (GPR43/FFAR2) is essential for polymorphonuclear (PMN) recruitment. We investigated the expression of GPR43/FFAR2 in the colon from Crohn’s disease patients and whether dietary fiber in enteral nutrition increases GPR43+ polymorphonuclear infiltration in mucosa. Segments of ascending colon and white blood cells from peripheral blood were obtained from 46 Crohn’s disease patients and 10 colon cancer patients. The Crohn’s disease patients were grouped by the activity of disease (active or remission) and enteral nutrition with or without dietary fiber. Histological feature, expression and location of GPR43/FFAR2 and level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukine-6 (IL-6) and myeloperoxidase were assessed. The results of hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemistry staining revealed that the infiltration of immune cells, including GPR43+ PMN, was more severe in active Crohn’s disease patients who consumed normal food or enteral nutrition with dietary fiber than in remission patients and colon cancer patients. This finding was supported by the results of GPR43 and myeloperoxidase expression. Active Crohn’s disease (CD) patients who consumed enteral nutrition without dietary fiber exhibited severe immune cell infiltration similar to the other active CD patients, but GPR43+ PMNs were rarely observed. The level of TNF-α mRNA in active Crohn’s disease patients was higher than those of the other patients. In conclusion, the use of dietary fiber in enteral nutrition by active Crohn’s disease patients might increase GPR43+ PMNs infiltration in colon mucosa. This effect was not observed in Crohn’s disease patients in remission.

Overexpression of C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) may promote homing of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). In this study, we treated ulcerative colitis animals with MSC preconditioned with or without H19 and compared the therapeutic effect of MSC and MSC-H19. We evaluated the regulatory relationship of H19 vs. miR-141/miR-139 and miR-141/miR-139 vs. ICAM-1/CXCR4. We established an ulcerative colitis mouse model to assess the effect of MSC and MSC-H19. H19 was found to bind to miR-141 and miR-139. The activity of H19 was strongly decreased in cells c-transfected with miR-141/miR-139 and WT H19. ICAM-1 was confirmed to be targeted by miR-141 and CXCR4 was targeted by miR-139. The H19 expression showed a negative regulatory relationship with the miR-141 and miR-139 expression but a positive regulatory relationship with the ICAM-1 and CXCR4 expression. In summary, the overexpression of H19 in MSC downregulated miR-139 and miR-141, thus increasing the activity of their targets ICAM-1 and CXCR4, respectively, to exhibit therapeutic effects in ulcerative colitis.

Background: We present a novel two hemi-purse-string suture technique for duodenal stump reinforcement in laparoscopic gastrectomy. However, the simplicity and safety of this technique have not yet been fully evaluated. Methods: Retrospectively collected data from 217 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer and underwent distal/total gastrectomy at Nanfang Hospital from April 2022 to April 2025, including 107 cases underwent the two hemi-purse-string suture and 110 cases underwent continuous inverting suture. Analyze and compare the clinicopathological information, intraoperative operation time and postoperative complications between two groups of patients. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in baseline data between the two groups ( P > 0.05), indicating comparability. Compared to the continuous inverting suture group, patients who underwent duodenal stump reinforcement with the two hemi-purse-string technique demonstrated a significantly shorter duodenal stump suture time (298.2 ± 53.8 s vs. 326.8 ± 78.4 s, t = -3.109, p = 0.002) and required fewer stitches (4.47 ± 0.63 vs. 6.35 ± 1.37, t = -12.892, p < 0.001). Regarding the success of embedding, a successful primary embedding was achieved in 100% (107/107) of cases in the two hemi-purse-string suture group, compared to 99.1% (109/110) in the continuous inverting suture group. No cases in either group experienced duodenal serosal tearing during the reinforcement procedure. The duodenal stump embedding was completed according to the predetermined plan in all patients in both groups (107/107 vs. 110/110). Importantly, no incidents of duodenal stump leakage, pancreatic fistula, or intra-abdominal haemorrhage occurred in either group, indicating comparable safety profiles between the two techniques. Conclusion: The two hemi-purse-string suture used for duodenal stump reinforcement can shorten the suture time and has no postoperative complications such as duodenal stump fistula. It is efficient and reliable.