Preventive and therapeutic effects of NF-kappaB inhibitor curcumin in rats colitis induced by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid.

AIM: To ascertain the molecule mechanism of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) inhibitor curcumin preventive and therapeutic effects in rats' colitis induced by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). METHODS: Sixty rats with TNBS-induced colitis were treated with 2.0% curcumin in the diet. Thirty positive control rats were treated with 0.5% sulfasalazine (SASP). Thirty negative control rats and thirty model rats were treated with general diet. Changes of body weight together with histological scores were evaluated. Survival rates were also evaluated. Cell nuclear NF-kappaB activity in colonic mucosa was evaluated by using electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Cytoplasmic IkappaB protein in colonic mucosa was detected by using Western Blot analysis. Cytokine messenger expression in colonic tissue was assessed by using semiquantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Treatment with curcumin could prevent and treat both wasting and histopathologic signs of rats with TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation. In accordance with these findings, NF-kappaB activation in colonic mucosa was suppressed in the curcumin-treated groups. Degradations of cytoplasmic IkappaB protein in colonic mucosa were blocked by curcumin treatment. Proinflammatory cytokine messenger RNA expression in colonic mucosa was also suppressed. CONCLUSION: This study shows that NF-kappaB inhibitor curcumin could prevent and improve experimental colitis in murine model with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The findings suggest that NF-kappaB inhibitor curcumin could be a potential target for the patients with IBD.

Effects of probiotic on intestinal mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis.

AIM: To investigate the effects of probiotic on intestinal mucosae of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), and to evaluate the role of probiotic in preventing the relapse of UC. METHODS: Thirty patients received treatment with sulphasalazine (SASP) and glucocorticoid and then were randomly administered bifid triple viable capsule (BIFICO) (1.26 g/d), or an identical placebo (starch) for 8 wk. Fecal samples were collected for stool culture 2 wk before and after the randomized treatments. The patients were evaluated clinically, endoscopically and histologically after 2 mo of treatment or in case of relapse of UC. p65 and IkappaB expressions were determined by Western blot analysis. DNA-binding activity of NF-kappaB in colonic nuclear extracts was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). mRNA expressions of cytokines were identified by semi-quantitative assay, reverse transcriptase- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Three patients (20%) in the BIFICO group had relapses during 2-mo follow-up period, compared with 14 (93.3%) in placebo group (P<0.01). The concentration of fecal lactobacilli, bifidobacteria was significantly increased in BIFICO-treated group only (P<0.01). The expressions of NF-kappaB p65 and DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB were significantly attenuated in the treatment group than that in control (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines was elevated in comparison with the control group. CONCLUSION: The probiotic could impede the activation of NF-kappaB, decrease the expressions of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and elevate the expression of IL-10. These results suggest that oral administration of this new probiotic preparation is effective in preventing flare-ups of chronic UC. It may become a prophylactic drug to decrease the relapse of UC.

A novel method for preparation of tissue microarray.

AIM: To improve the technique of tissue microarray (tissue chip). METHODS: A new tissue microarraying method was invented with a common microscope installed with a special holing needle, a sampling needle, and a special box fixing paraffin blocks on the microscope slide carrier. With the movement of microscope tube and objective stage on vertical and cross dimensions respectively, the holing procedure on the recipient paraffin blocks and sampling procedure of core tissue biopsies taken from the donor blocks were performed with the refitted microscope on the same platform. The precise observation and localization of representative regions in the donor blocks were also performed with the microscope equipped with a stereoscope. RESULTS: Highly-qualified tissue chips of colorectal tumors were produced by a new method, which simplified the conventional microarraying procedure, and was more convenient and accurate than that employing the existing tissue microarraying instruments. CONCLUSION: Using the refitted common microscope to produce tissue microarray is a simple, reliable, cost-effective and well-applicable technique.

[Modulation of intestinal mucosal inflammatory factors by curcumin in rats with colitis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of modulation of intestinal mucosal inflammatory factors by curcumin, the inhibitor of the transcriptional factor nuclear factor -kappaB (NF-kappaB), in rats with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis, and screen for a targeted therapeutic agent for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: Rats with TNBS-induced colitis were fed with diet containing 2.0% curcumin (treatment group), 0.5% sulfasalazine (SASP, positive control group), and normal diet (model group and negative control group). Changes in colonic mucosal histological scores were evaluated and the cytokine mRNA expressions in the colonic tissue assessed by semiquantitative reverse transcriptional PCR (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Treatment with curcumin ameliorated the histopathologic signs in rats with TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation. Curcumin and sulfasalazine obviously suppressed the high expression of proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1beta mRNA and increased the low expression of IL-10 mRNA in the colonic mucosa. Expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 mRNA was detected in none of the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Curcumin could modulate the expressions of IL-1beta and IL-10 mRNA in murine model of IBD, which suggests the potential of curcumin as a targeted therapeutic agent for IBD.