Treatment with proteins of S. mansoni and A. caninum ameliorated TNBS-induced colitis in mice. S. mansoni proteins increased mRNA expression of regulatory cytokines while suppressing expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Therefore, we suggest a therapeutic potential for helminth proteins in the treatment of IBD.

Enteric glial cells (EGC) actively mediate acute and chronic inflammation in the gut; EGC proliferate and release neurotrophins, growth factors, and pro-inflammatory cytokines which, in turn, may amplify the immune response, representing a very important link between the nervous and immune systems in the intestine. Cannabidiol (CBD) is an interesting compound because of its ability to control reactive gliosis in the CNS, without any unwanted psychotropic effects. Therefore the rationale of our study was to investigate the effect of CBD on intestinal biopsies from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and from intestinal segments of mice with LPS-induced intestinal inflammation. CBD markedly counteracted reactive enteric gliosis in LPS-mice trough the massive reduction of astroglial signalling neurotrophin S100B. Histological, biochemical and immunohistochemical data demonstrated that S100B decrease was associated with a considerable decrease in mast cell and macrophages in the intestine of LPS-treated mice after CBD treatment. Moreover the treatment of LPS-mice with CBD reduced TNF-α expression and the presence of cleaved caspase-3. Similar results were obtained in ex vivo cultured human derived colonic biopsies. In biopsies of UC patients, both during active inflammation and in remission stimulated with LPS+INF-γ, an increased glial cell activation and intestinal damage were evidenced. CBD reduced the expression of S100B and iNOS proteins in the human biopsies confirming its well documented effect in septic mice. The activity of CBD is, at least partly, mediated via the selective PPAR-gamma receptor pathway. CBD targets enteric reactive gliosis, counteracts the inflammatory environment induced by LPS in mice and in human colonic cultures derived from UC patients. These actions lead to a reduction of intestinal damage mediated by PPARgamma receptor pathway. Our results therefore indicate that CBD indeed unravels a new therapeutic strategy to treat inflammatory bowel diseases.

1 In a rat model of experimental ileus, the e ect of blockade of adrenergic and nitrergic neurotransmission was studied on the intestinal transit of Evans blue. 2 Ether anaesthesia and skin incision had no in¯uence on the transit. Laparotomy signi®cantly inhibited the transit of Evans blue. This inhibition was even more pronounced when the small intestine was manipulated. 3 Reserpine (5 mg kg 71 ), a drug that blocks adrenergic neurotransmission, completely reversed the inhibition of the transit induced by laparotomy but only partially reversed that induced by laparotomy with manipulation of the small intestine., a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, completely reversed the reserpine-resistant inhibition induced by laparotomy with manipulation of the small intestine. The e ect of L-NOARG was prevented by concomitant administration of L-arginine. L-Arginine itself slightly, but signi®cantly enhanced the inhibition. S-methylisothiourea and aminoguanidine, selective inhibitors of the inducible NO synthase, had no e ect on the transit after the three operations. 5 Treatment of the rats with reserpine plus L-NOARG had no additional e ect on the transit after laparotomy as compared to reserpine alone. However, reserpine plus L-NNA completely reversed the inhibition of the transit induced by laparotomy with manipulation of the small intestine. 6 These ®ndings support the involvement of adrenergic pathways in the pathogenesis of ileus and suggest that the additional inhibitory e ect of mechanical stimulation results from an enhanced release of NO by the constitutive NO synthase.

Background and aims: Crohn's disease, characterised by chronic T helper 1 (Th1) inflammation and dysmotility of the gut, is most prevalent in developed countries. Parasitic infections are most prevalent in developing countries and induce a T helper 2 (Th2) immune response. We hypothesised that this Th2 immune response protects against Th1 gut inflammation. Methods: The parasite Schistosoma mansoni induces a transient Th2 immune response in the semipermissive rat host. 2,4,6-Trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) induced colitis is an experimental model of Th1-like gut inflammation. The effect of concurrent infection with S mansoni on the course of TNBS induced colitis was assessed using macroscopic and microscopic damage scores, histology, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity assay, cytokine production assay, and by studying in vitro contractility of longitudinal and circular colonic muscle strips. Results: TNBS induced colitis that spontaneously healed after four weeks. Concurrent infection with S mansoni significantly reduced the duration of TNBS induced colitis to two weeks, as shown by macroscopic and microscopic damage scores and by a faster decrease in colonic MPO activity. TNBS increased colonic interleukin 2 (IL-2) production whereas S mansoni increased splenic IL-4 and IL-2 levels. Contractility of longitudinal and circular muscle strips was maximally inhibited one week after TNBS and normalised after three weeks. After four weeks, longitudinal muscle strip contractility was significantly increased. Concurrent infection with S mansoni normalised longitudinal muscle contractility after one week whereas circular muscle contractility remained inhibited. Conclusions: Concurrent infection with S mansoni significantly attenuates TNBS induced colitis in the rat. Inflammation induced disturbances in contractility of longitudinal and circular colonic muscle strips may outlast the inflammatory reaction.

The gastrointestinal barrier is - with approximately 400 m2 - the human body’s largest surface separating the external environment from the internal milieu. This barrier serves a dual function: permitting the absorption of nutrients, water and electrolytes on the one hand, while limiting host contact with noxious luminal antigens on the other hand. To maintain this selective barrier, junction protein complexes seal the intercellular space between adjacent epithelial cells and regulate the paracellular transport. Increased intestinal permeability is associated with and suggested as a player in the pathophysiology of various gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease and type 1 diabetes. The gastrointestinal tract is exposed to high levels of endogenous and exogenous proteases, both in the lumen and in the mucosa. There is increasing evidence to suggest that a dysregulation of the protease/antiprotease balance in the gut contributes to epithelial damage and increased permeability. Excessive proteolysis leads to direct cleavage of intercellular junction proteins, or to opening of the junction proteins via activation of protease activated receptors. In addition, proteases regulate the activity and availability of cytokines and growth factors, which are also known modulators of intestinal permeability. This review aims at outlining the mechanisms by which proteases alter the intestinal permeability. More knowledge on the role of proteases in mucosal homeostasis and gastrointestinal barrier function will definitely contribute to the identification of new therapeutic targets for permeability-related diseases.

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Nitric oxide (NO) is postulated to play a role in endotoxin-induced ileus. We investigated the effect of selective blockade of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and guanylyl cyclase on endotoxin-induced ileus in mice. Thirty minutes before injection of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), mice were pretreated with L-NAME (N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, non-selective NOS inhibitor), 1400W (N-(3-(aminomethyl)benzyl)acetamide, selective iNOS inhibitor), ODQ (1H-(1,2,4)oxadiazolo(4,3-a)quinoxalin-1-one, guanylyl cyclase inhibitor), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, vehicle), or dexamethasone. After 18 h, general well being deteriorated and the mice developed hypothermia and a significant delay in gastric emptying and intestinal transit as measured by Evans blue. 1400W completely reversed the endotoxin-induced delay in gastric emptying, while L-NAME did not have these beneficial effects. On the contrary, even in control mice, L-NAME delayed gastric emptying. Dexamethasone, DMSO, and ODQ mimicked the effect of 1400W on endotoxin-induced delay in gastric emptying. The endotoxin-induced delay in transit was significantly improved only by 1400W. None of the drugs reversed the hypothermia. In LPS mice treated with L-NAME, the behavior scale increased even further, while it decreased after treatment with 1400W. In conclusion, selective inhibition of iNOS reverses the endotoxin-induced delay in gastric emptying and transit and improves general well being. The pathway used by NO, derived from iNOS, may involve inhibition of guanylyl cyclase or radical scavenging.

1 The effect of chronic intestinal inflammation on the purinergic modulation of cholinergic neurotransmission was studied in the mouse ileum. Chronic intestinal inflammation was induced by infection of mice with the parasite Schistosoma mansoni during 16 weeks. 2 S. mansoni infection induced a chronic inflammatory response in the small intestine, which was characterised by intestinal granuloma formation, increased intestinal wall thickness, blunted mucosal villi and an enhanced activity of myeloperoxidase. 3 In control ileum and in chronically inflamed ileum, electrical field stimulation (EFS) of longitudinal muscle strips induced frequency-dependent contractions that were abolished by tetrodotoxin (TTX) and atropine. Carbachol induced dose-dependent contractions that were not affected by TTX but abolished by atropine. 4 In control ileum, adenosine and ATP dose-dependently inhibited the contractions to EFS. Theophylline and 8-phenyltheophylline, P 1 and A 1 receptor antagonists respectively, prevented this inhibitory effect of adenosine and ATP. PPADS, DMPX and MRS 1220, antagonists of P 2 , A 2 and A 3 receptors, respectively, did not prevent this inhibitory effect of adenosine and ATP. Adenosine and ATP did not affect the contractions to carbachol. 5 The inhibitory effect of adenosine and ATP on contractions to EFS in control ileum was mimicked by the stable adenosine analogue methyladenosine and by the A 1 -receptor agonist N(6)-cyclohexyladenosine, but not by the A3 receptor agonist 2-Cl IB-MECA or by the ATP analogues ab-methylene-ATP and ADPbS. The inhibitory effect of adenosine on contractions to EFS was lost after prolonged (90 min) treatment of control ileum with methyladenosine (100 mM). 6 In chronically inflamed ileum, adenosine, methyladenosine, N(6)-cyclohexyladenosine and ATP all failed to inhibit the cholinergic nerve-mediated contractions to EFS. Also theophylline, 8-phenyltheophylline, PPADS, DMPX and MRS 1220 had no effect on the contractions to EFS and carbachol. The loss of effect of adenosine and ATP was still evident after 52 weeks of infection. 7 These results indicate that in physiological conditions neuronal adenosine A 1 receptors modulate cholinergic nerve activity in the mouse ileum. However, during chronic intestinal inflammation, this purinergic modulation of cholinergic nerve activity is impaired. This suggests that chronic intestinal inflammation leads to a dysfunction of specific neuronal regulatory mechanisms in the enteric nervous system.