Wheat bran components modulate intestinal bacteria and gene expression of barrier function relevant proteins in a piglet model.

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of wheat bran and its main polysaccharides on intestinal bacteria and gene expression of intestinal barrier function relevant proteins. Thirty freshly weaned male piglets were assigned randomly to five dietary treatment groups with six piglets per group. Accordingly, five synthetic diets including a basal control diet without fiber components (CON), wheat bran diet (10% wheat bran, WB), arabinoxylan diet (AX), cellulose diet (CEL) and combined diet of arabinoxylan and cellulose (CB) were studied. The piglets were fed ad libitum for 30 d. Lower Escherichia coli (E. coli) populations in WB group and higher probiotic (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) populations in groups fed diets containing arabinoxylan (WB, AX and CB) were observed and compared with CON group. Compared with CON group, the gene expressions of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), calcium-activated chloride channel regulator 1 (CLCA1) and voltage-gated chloride channel 2 (CIC2) were suppressed in the WB group. And wheat bran down-regulated gene expression of pro-inflammation (TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6) and TLRs/MyD88/NF-κB pathway compared with CON group. In conclusion, wheat bran and its main polysaccharides could change intestinal microflora and down-regulate the gene expression of intestinal barrier function relevant proteins in the distal small intestinal mucosa.

Growth factor modulation of fibroblast proliferation, differentiation, and invasion: implications for tissue valve engineering.

We have previously shown that transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) stimulates transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into smooth muscle alpha-actin (alpha-SMA) positive myofibroblasts. However, TGF-beta, as such, is unsuitable for effective population of a heart valve matrix, because it dose-dependently inhibits growth of fibroblasts. The aim of this study was to investigate combinations of other growth factors with TGF-beta to stimulate the proliferation of suitably differentiated cells and to enhance their invasion into aortic valve matrices. Human dermal mesenchymal cells (hDMC1.1) were treated with combinations of growth factors to stimulate these cells to trans-differentiate into myofibroblasts, to proliferate, and to invade. Growth factors were chosen after expression of their respective receptors was confirmed in hDMC1.1 using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. We combined TGF-beta with several growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1, IGF-2), epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, and PDGFAB). Nuclear Ki67 staining, MTT assay, and cell counting revealed that only EGF and bFGF were capable of overcoming TGF-beta-induced growth inhibition. However, bFGF but not EGF inhibited TGF-beta-induced alpha-SMA expression, as evidenced by immuno-cytochemistry and Western blotting. A growth factor cocktail (TGF-beta, EGF, bFGF) has been established that maintains TGF-beta-induced trans-differentiation but overcomes TGF-beta-induced growth inhibition while stimulating fibroblast proliferation and invasion.