Anti-Inflammatory Diet Prevents Subclinical Colonic Inflammation and Alters Metabolomic Profile of Ulcerative Colitis Patients in Clinical Remission.

A relationship between ulcerative colitis (UC) and diet has been shown in epidemiological and experimental studies. In a 6-month, open-label, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, adult UC patients in clinical remission were randomized to either an "Anti-inflammatory Diet (AID)" or "Canada's Food Guide (CFG)". Menu plans in the AID were designed to increase the dietary intake of dietary fiber, probiotics, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids and to decrease the intake of red meat, processed meat, and added sugar. Stool was collected for fecal calprotectin (FCP) and microbial analysis. Metabolomic analysis was performed on urine, serum, and stool samples at the baseline and study endpoint. In this study, 53 patients were randomized. Five (19.2%) patients in the AID and 8 (29.6%) patients in the CFG experienced a clinical relapse. The subclinical response to the intervention (defined as FCP < 150 µg/g at the endpoint) was significantly higher in the AID group (69.2 vs. 37.0%, p = 0.02). The patients in the AID group had an increased intake of zinc, phosphorus, selenium, yogurt, and seafood versus the control group. Adherence to the AID was associated with significant changes in the metabolome, with decreased fecal acetone and xanthine levels along with increased fecal taurine and urinary carnosine and p-hydroxybenzoic acid levels. The AID subjects also had increases in fecal Bifidobacteriaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminococcaceae. In this study, we found thatdietary modifications involving the increased intake of anti-inflammatory foods combined with a decreased intake of pro-inflammatory foods were associated with metabolic and microbial changes in UC patients in clinical remission and were effective in preventing subclinical inflammation.

Personalized Research on Diet in Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease: A Series of N-of-1 Diet Trials.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence about specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is limited. We conducted 54 single-subject, double-crossover N-of-1 trials comparing SCD with a modified SCD (MSCD) and comparing each with the participant's baseline, usual diet (UD). METHODS: Across 19 sites, we recruited patients aged 7-18 years with IBD and active inflammation. Following a 2-week baseline (UD), patients were randomized to 1 of 2 sequences of 4 alternating 8-week SCD and MSCD periods. Outcomes included fecal calprotectin and patient-reported symptoms. We report posterior probabilities from Bayesian models comparing diets. RESULTS: Twenty-one (39%) participants completed the trial, 9 (17%) completed a single crossover, and 24 (44%) withdrew. Withdrawal or early completion occurred commonly (lack of response [n = 11], adverse events [n = 11], and not desiring to continue [n = 6]). SCD and MSCD performed similarly for most individuals. On average, there was <1% probability of a clinically meaningful difference in IBD symptoms between SCD and MSCD. The average treatment difference was -0.3 (95% credible interval -1.2, 0.75). There was no significant difference in the ratio of fecal calprotectin geometric means comparing SCD and MSCD (0.77, 95% credible interval 0.51, 1.10). Some individuals had improvement in symptoms and fecal calprotectin compared with their UD, whereas others did not. DISCUSSION: SCD and MSCD did not consistently improve symptoms or inflammation, although some individuals may have benefited. However, there are inherent difficulties in examining dietary changes that complicate study design and ultimately conclusions regarding effectiveness.

Outcomes of dietary management approaches in active ulcerative colitis: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The dietary management of active ulcerative colitis (UC) is currently poorly understood. Due to the lack of clinical guidelines for this population, diet choice may be based on the personal judgement of the clinician, and without sound evidence. The aim of this systematic review was to appraise the current literature on the dietary management of individuals with active UC, in both inpatient and outpatient settings, to determine if clinical outcomes differ by diet prescription. METHOD: PUBMED, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science and SCOPUS were comprehensively searched during March and April 2020. Eligible trials recruited adults with active UC comparing different methods of dietary management, including enteral nutrition (EN), total parenteral nutrition (TPN), elimination diets and standard oral diets, in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. RESULTS: 10 studies met inclusion criteria of this qualitative synthesis. No difference was found between EN, TPN and bowel rest in terms of disease activity measures when compared to a standard oral diet. The results of this study also showed promising potential for the use of elimination diets in the outpatient setting with four studies finding a significant difference in disease activity measures between the intervention diet and control. CONCLUSION: There is no strong evidence to support the use of any specific dietary prescription to improve clinical outcomes for individuals with active UC. A number of low quality studies suggest benefit of following an elimination diet, however, additional high quality studies are required before any more specific recommendations can be made.

A Novel UC Exclusion Diet and Antibiotics for Treatment of Mild to Moderate Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis: A Prospective Open-Label Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: As the microbiome plays an important role in instigating inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC), strategies targeting the microbiome may offer an alternative therapeutic approach. The goal of the pilot trial was to evaluate the potential efficacy and feasibility of a novel UC exclusion diet (UCED) for clinical remission, as well as the potential of sequential antibiotics for diet-refractory patients to achieve remission without steroids. METHODS: This was a prospective, single-arm, multicenter, open-label pilot study in patients aged 8-19, with pediatric UC activity index (PUCAI) scores >10 on stable maintenance therapy. Patients failing to enter remission (PUCAI < 10) on the diet could receive a 14-day course of amoxycillin, metronidazole and doxycycline (AMD), and were re-assessed on day 21. The primary endpoint was intention-to-treat (ITT) remission at week 6, with UCED as the only intervention. RESULTS: Twenty-four UCED treatment courses were given to 23 eligible children (mean age: 15.3 ± 2.9 years). The median PUCAI decreased from 35 (30-40) at baseline to 12.5 (5-30) at week 6 (p = 0.001). Clinical remission with UCED alone was achieved in 9/24 (37.5%). The median fecal calprotectin declined from 818 (630.0-1880.0) µg/g at baseline to 592.0 (140.7-1555.0) µg/g at week 6 (p > 0.05). Eight patients received treatment with antibiotics after failing on the diet; 4/8 (50.0%) subsequently entered remission 3 weeks later. CONCLUSION: The UCED appears to be effective and feasible for the induction of remission in children with mild to moderate UC. The sequential use of UCED followed by antibiotic therapy needs to be evaluated as a microbiome-targeted, steroid-sparing strategy.

Differences in Dietary Patterns of Adolescent Patients with IBD.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The prevalence of both in pediatric populations has been constantly increasing. This study aimed to analyze the diet of adolescent patients with IBD in comparison to healthy controls and the current dietary standards for the Polish population to further their optimal supplementation regimen. The study group consisted of 53 patients (21 girls and 32 boys) with IBD (CD: n = 27; UC: n = 26) at a mean age of 15.4 ± 2.4 and 14.7 ± 2.2, years for girls and boys, respectively. The control group (CG) consisted of 20 patients, and 72 h of recall diaries on nutrition were collected. The nutritional data were analyzed in the Dieta 6D dietary program. When compared to Polish dietary standards, the largest differences girls with IBD and boys with IBD were found for the intake of energy (61.9 and 71.9%), iodine (61.9 and 62.6%), folates (76.2 and 87.5%), vitamin D (100 and 96.9%), potassium (61.9 and 59.4%), and calcium (85.7 and 93.8%). The overconsumption of saturated fatty acids (SFA) (61.9 and 56.3%) and sodium (76.2 and 90.6%) in girls and boys, respectively, was noted. In relation to girls with CG, girls with IBD showed a significantly higher intake of energy (1751. 3 vs. 1558.6 p = 0.0224), total protein (71.3 vs. 56.2 p = 0.0217), animal protein (47.8 vs. 34.5 p = 0.0183), total carbohydrates (237.3 vs. 196.1 p = 0.0442), and assimilable carbohydrates (219.8 vs. 180.5 p = 0.7921). Boys in the CG consumed significantly more calcium (851.8 vs. 432 p = 0.0006), phosphorus (1024.3 vs. 1357.5 p = 0.0431), lactose (11.6 vs. 6.1 p = 0.0016), and riboflavin (1.7 vs. 1.3 p = 0.0123) compared to boys with IBD. Dietician care should therefore be mandatorily provided alongside outpatient care. Based on our results, we suggest that supplementation with the selected components be considered.

Bifidobacterium Longum: Protection against Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), increases gradually worldwide in the past decades. IBD is generally associated with the change of the immune system and gut microbiota, and the conventional treatments usually result in some side effects. Bifidobacterium longum, as colonizing bacteria in the intestine, has been demonstrated to be capable of relieving colitis in mice and can be employed as an alternative or auxiliary way for treating IBD. Here, the mechanisms of the Bifidobacterium longum in the treatment of IBD were summarized based on previous cell and animal studies and clinical trials testing bacterial therapies. This review will be served as a basis for future research on IBD treatment.

Structural characteristics of Gracilaria lemaneiformis oligosaccharides and their alleviation of dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis by modulating the gut microbiota and intestinal metabolites in mice.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic lifetime disorder with a high incidence worldwide. A functional food-based method to prevent UC would be a good option for disease control. G. lemaneiformis oligosaccharides (GLOs) should have potent benefits for the gastrointestinal tract, based on in vitro fermentation assessed in our previous study. This study evaluated the therapeutic potential of GLOs in UC, as well as their possible mechanisms of action. The administration of GLOs was able to reduce the severity of dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis by protecting mice from weight loss, reductions in colon length, inflammatory infiltration, and colon damage. Gut microbiota composition analysis showed that at the phylum level, GLOs could restore the composition of Bacteroidetes and decrease the level of Firmicutes. Consistently, it increased the contents of beneficial microbial metabolites and short-chain fatty acids in the mouse colitis model. In conclusion, GLOs could comprise a promising functional food strategy to alleviate UC symptoms.

Nutrición y enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal: posibles mecanismos en la incidencia y manejo / Nutrition and inflammatory bowel disease: possible mechanisms of diet on the incidence and management

La enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII), cuyos fenotipos más frecuentes son la enfermedad de Crohn (EC) y la colitis ulcerosa (CU), tiene una etiología multifactorial, que resulta de la interacción de factores genéticos, ambientales y del microbioma. Su incidencia ha aumentado en las últimas décadas, así como también lo ha hecho la occidentalización de la dieta: alta en grasas, carbohidratos refinados, azúcar, carnes rojas y alimentos procesados. Una dieta occidental es considerada como factor de riesgo para el desarrollo de EII, ya que está asociada a disbiosis, alteración de la barrera intestinal y de la inmunidad del huésped. Existen diversas dietas de eliminación que podrían ejercer un rol en la inducción/mantención de la remisión. Sin embargo, la mayoría requiere estudios de mejor calidad científica para poder recomendarlas. A su vez, existen suplementos nutricionales que estarían asociados a la incidencia y curso de la enfermedad. El objetivo de esta revisión es mostrar el posible rol de la dieta en la incidencia de la EII, y las estrategias dieto-terapéuticas, incluyendo suplementos específicos y nutrición enteral, considerando periodos de crisis y remisión.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), most frequent phenotypes Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis, have a multifactorial etiology, resulting from genetics, environmental triggers and microbiome alterations. Its incidence has been increasing as well as the western diet, high in fat, refined carbohydrates, sugar, red meat and processed foods. A western diet is considered a risk factor for the development of IBD, since it is associated with dysbiosis, alteration of the intestinal barrier and host immunity. There are several elimination diets that could play a role in induction/maintenance of remission. However, most of them require better quality scientific studies. Also, there are nutritional supplements associated with the incidence and evolution of the disease. The aim of this review is to show the possible role of the diet in the incidence, and diet-therapeutic strategies, including specific supplements and enteral nutrition, considering periods of active disease and remission

Reduced fecal short-chain fatty acids in hispanic children with ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: It is known that patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have reduced numbers of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producing bacteria and reduced SCFA concentration in feces. There is also evidence that Hispanic patients have increased incidence of UC and increased likelihood of developing disease at a younger age. To understand why this might be, we compared fiber intake and fecal SCFA concentrations in Hispanic children with UC and non-Hispanic children with UC. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study conducted at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, stool was collected from 22 Hispanic and 31 non-Hispanic children with UC. SCFAs in the stool were quantified using mass spectrometry. Diet information was collected at the time of stool collection using food frequency questionnaires. RESULTS: Acetic acid, butyric acid, isovaleric acid, and propionic acid concentrations are significantly lower in Hispanic children with UC compared to age, gender, and disease activity matched non-Hispanic children with UC (p < 0.001). Butyric acid showed the most significant decrease (p = 1.6e-7) There was no significant difference in fiber intake between Hispanic and non-Hispanic children with UC. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study to find that Hispanic children with UC had further reduced SCFAs, independent of disease activity and fiber intake. It is possible that the reduction in SCFAs is related to the colonic disease in Hispanic patients with UC. This may provide more evidence to support the use of SCFA targeted therapies for UC.

Dietary glycyl-glutamine supplementation ameliorates intestinal integrity, inflammatory response, and oxidative status in association with the gut microbiota in LPS-challenged piglets.

During weaning transition, mammalian newborns suffer severe enteric infections and thus induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, which in turn aggravates enteric disorder. The synthetic dipeptide glycyl-glutamine (GlyGln) has been used as a diet supplement to improve the weaning transition of newborns. However, the effect of dietary GlyGln supplementation on the gut microbiota of piglets with enteric infection remains unclear. Here, weaned piglets received a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 0.25% GlyGln for 3 weeks. Five piglets in each group received an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (100 µg per kg BW) (LPS and GlyGln + LPS groups) and meanwhile five piglets in a control group received an intraperitoneal injection of saline (Ctrl group). The results showed that dietary GlyGln supplementation improved the LPS induced inflammation response and damage to the ileum morphology by increasing interleukin 10, tight junction proteins, villus height, and the ratio villus height/crypt depth, but decreasing the crypt depth. For the oxidative status, dietary GlyGln supplementation increased the ileal superoxide dismutase and meanwhile reduced the malondialdehyde and nitric oxide synthase activity (NOS) (total NOS and inducible NOS), compared with that in the LPS group. LPS challenge reduced the diversity of gut microbiota and enriched the facultative anaerobic Escherichia coli. The GlyGln restored alpha diversity and the structure of the gut microbiota by enriching obligate anaerobes and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, including Clostridium, Lachnospira, Phascolarctobacterium, Roseburia, Lachnospiraceae, and Synergistetes. GlyGln enriched the gut microbiota function of carbohydrate metabolism and elevated the ileal SCFA concentrations of propionic acid and butyric acid that had been decreased by the LPS challenge. The beneficial effects of dietary GlyGln supplementation are closely associated with its enriched bacteria and SCFAs. Taken together, dietary GlyGln supplementation improved the gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by LPS challenge and enriched obligate anaerobes and SCFA-producing bacteria, which contributed to the amelioration of intestinal integrity, inflammatory responses, and oxidative status.

A food pyramid, based on a review of the emerging literature, for subjects with inflammatory bowel disease / Pirámide de los alimentos derivado de la revisión de la literatura emergente para sujetos con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal

Emerging literature suggests that diet plays an important modulatory role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through the management of inflammation and oxidative stress. The aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the evidence collected up till now regarding optimum diet therapy for IBD and to design a food pyramid for these patients. The pyramid shows that carbohydrates should be consumed every day (3 portions), together with tolerated fruits and vegetables (5 portions), yogurt (125ml), and extra virgin olive oil; weekly, fish (4 portions), white meat (3 portions), eggs (3 portions), pureed legumes (2 portions), seasoned cheeses (2 portions), and red or processed meats (once a week). At the top of the pyramid, there are two pennants: the red one means that subjects with IBD need some personalized supplementation and the black one means that there are some foods that are banned. The food pyramid makes it easier for patients to decide what they should eat

La literatura emergente sugiere que la dieta resulta ser un importante papel modulador en la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII), a través del manejo de la inflamación y el estrés oxidativo. El objetivo de esta revisión narrativa es evaluar la evidencia hasta la fecha con respecto a la EII óptima de la terapia dietética, y construimos una pirámide de alimentos sobre este tema. La pirámide muestra que los hidratos de carbono deben consumirse todos los días (3 porciones), junto con las frutas y verduras toleradas (5 porciones), el yogur (125ml) y el aceite de oliva virgen extra; semanalmente, pescado (4 porciones), carne blanca (3 porciones), huevos (3 porciones), puré de legumbres (2 porciones), quesos condimentados (2 porciones) y carnes rojas o procesadas (una vez por semana). En la parte superior de la pirámide hay 2 banderines: uno rojo significa que los sujetos con IBD necesitan una suplementación personalizada y un negro significa que hay algunos alimentos que están prohibidos. La pirámide alimenticia permite a los pacientes descubrir fácilmente qué comer

The effects of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics on the reduction of IBD complications, a periodic review during 2009-2020.

AIMS: To perform a systematic review on randomized controlled trials to examine the efficacy of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics in the treatment of IBD. METHODS AND RESULTS: PubMed, Web of science, Scopus and Google Scholar were systematically searched from January 2009 to January 2020 using the following keywords: 'Inflammatory Bowel Disease', 'Probiotics' and 'Clinical trial'. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 24.0. A total of 1832 articles were found during the initial search and 21 clinical trials were eligible. Studies comparing the effects of probiotics and placebo among patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC) showed a significant difference in clinical outcomes. Moreover, probiotics improved the overall induction of remission rates among patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Probiotics significantly decreased the IL-1ß, TNF-α and IL-8 levels. Also, the need for systemic steroids, hospitalization, surgery, as well as histological score and disease activity index significantly decreased in patients who used probiotic or pro-/synbiotics. CONCLUSIONS: The use of probiotics, as food supplements, can induce anti-inflammatory reactions, balance the intestinal homeostasis and induce remission in IBD. The efficacy of probiotics on remission induction is more reported in UC rather than CD. Larger well-designed clinical trials are needed to further determine whether probiotics are of clear benefits for remission in IBD.

Multidimensional Impact of Mediterranean Diet on IBD Patients.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Malnutrition with the accumulation of fat tissue and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are conditions associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Visceral fat and NAFLD-related liver dysfunction can both worsen intestinal inflammation. Because the Mediterranean diet (Md) has been shown to ameliorate both obesity and NAFLD, the aim of this study was to analyze the impact of Md on the nutritional state, liver steatosis, clinical disease activity, and quality of life (QoL) in IBD patients. METHODS: Patients with IBD, both Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), followed Md for 6 months. Their body mass index (BMI), body tissue composition, liver steatosis and function, serum lipid profile, clinical disease activity, and inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin) were collected at baseline (T0) and compared with those obtained after 6 months (T180) to evaluate the impact of Md. RESULTS: One hundred forty-two IBD patients, 84 UC and 58 CD, followed Md for 6 months. At T180, diet-adherent CD and UC improved BMI (UC -0.42, P = 0.002; CD -0.48, P = 0.032) and waist circumference (UC -1.25 cm, P = 0.037; CD -1.37 cm, P = 0.041). Additionally, the number of patients affected by liver steatosis of any grade was significantly reduced in both groups (UC T0 31 of 84 [36.9%] vs T180 18 of 84 [21.4%], P = 0.0016; CD T0 27 of 58 [46.6%] vs T180 18 of 58 [31.0%], P < 0.001) after dietary intervention. Finally, after 6 months of the diet, fewer UC and CD patients with stable therapy had active disease (UC T0 14 of 59 [23.7%] vs T180 4 of 59 [6.8%], P = 0.004; CD T0 9 of 51 [17.6%] vs T180 2 of 51 [3.0%], P = 0.011) and elevated inflammatory biomarkers. Mediterranean diet improved QoL in both UC and CD, but neither serum lipid profile nor liver function were modified by the diet. CONCLUSIONS: A significant reduction of malnutrition-related parameters and liver steatosis was observed in both CD and UC patients after short-term dietary intervention based on the adoption of Md, and this was associated with a spontaneous improvement of disease activity and inflammatory markers.

Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Dietary Attitudes in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

A specific diet regimen is a promising way of managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with the Mediterranean diet (MD) being a likely candidate due to its potential to modulate gut inflammation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate nutritional habits and dietary attitudes of IBD patients, and to assess their adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The study enrolled 50 Crohn's disease and 44 ulcerative colitis patients, with clinical and laboratory parameters taken. Dietary attitudes were examined, and adherence to MD was assessed using the Mediterranean Diet Service Score (MDSS). Average MDSS score was 6.0 (5.0-7.0), while only nine participants fulfilled criteria for Mediterranean diet adherence. Moreover, all of them were men (p = 0.021). Low percentage of adherence to recommended guidelines was observed for eating olive oil (25.5%), fresh fruit (14.9%), and vegetables (10.6%). Significant positive correlation was observed between total MDSS points and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels (p = 0.002). The majority of the patients (86.2%) considered that a more controlled diet could reduce their IBD symptoms, while 17% visited a nutritionist for diet advice. The majority of patients (84%) would visit educational programs regarding nutrition. In conclusion, adherence to MD was very low, while IBD patients were willing to extend their nutritional knowledge if proper educational programs were organized.

Effectiveness of Mediterranean Diet's Adherence in children with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional support is very important in the treatment of Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The role of the Mediterranean Diet (MD) has been understudied in children with IBD. The aims of this study were to assess the dietary intakes of IBD children in comparison with healthy controls (HCs), their adherence to MD; and the relationship between inflammation and dietary behaviors. METHODS: Paediatric IBD patients in clinical remission and HCs were enrolled. The nutritional status and adherence to the Mediterranean Diet was evaluated through a 3-day food diary and the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents (KIDMED). RESULTS: The analysis of food diaries showed a significantly higher kilocalorie intake in IBD patients compared to HCs (p = 0.012), an increase in carbohydrates (p = 0.015) and in protein intake (p = 0.024). Both IBD and HCs have an intermediate adherence to MD. The comparison between Crohn's disease (CD) and Ulcerative colitis (UC) patients showed significant difference in protein intake in CD patients (p = 0.047), as well as for vitamin D (p = 0.044) and iron intake (p = 0.023). Interestingly; in IBD patients we found a significant association between adherence to MD and a low level of fecal calprotectin (p = 0.027). CONCLUSION: Children with IBD in remission have a sub-optimal food intake compared to HCs. MD seems to correlate to decreased intestinal inflammation.

Microbial tryptophan metabolites regulate gut barrier function via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are associated with dysbiosis of the gut microbiome. Emerging evidence suggests that small-molecule metabolites derived from bacterial breakdown of a variety of dietary nutrients confer a wide array of host benefits, including amelioration of inflammation in IBDs. Yet, in many cases, the molecular pathways targeted by these molecules remain unknown. Here, we describe roles for three metabolites-indole-3-ethanol, indole-3-pyruvate, and indole-3-aldehyde-which are derived from gut bacterial metabolism of the essential amino acid tryptophan, in regulating intestinal barrier function. We determined that these metabolites protect against increased gut permeability associated with a mouse model of colitis by maintaining the integrity of the apical junctional complex and its associated actin regulatory proteins, including myosin IIA and ezrin, and that these effects are dependent on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Our studies provide a deeper understanding of how gut microbial metabolites affect host defense mechanisms and identify candidate pathways for prophylactic and therapeutic treatments for IBDs.

RETRACTED: Dietary oligosaccharides attenuate DSS-induced colitis in mice, induce PGlyRP3 expression, and inhibit NF-κB and MEK/ERK signaling.

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editors. The Editors of Cellular Immunology have been informed by Elsevier that the article had been submitted to another journal while under consideration at "Cellular Immunology", which is a case of double submission. Based on the above infringement and its deleterious impact on the mutual trust necessary for the evaluation of scientific work - the corresponding authors had stated that the article was not submitted to another journal - it was decided to retract this article.

Dietary Strategies for Maintenance of Clinical Remission in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Are We There Yet?

The etiopathogenesis of Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a result of a complex interaction between host immune response, the gut microbiome and environmental factors, such as diet. Although scientific advances, with the use of biological medications, have revolutionized IBD treatment, the challenge for maintaining clinical remission and delaying clinical relapse is still present. As exclusive enteral nutrition has become a well-established treatment for the induction of remission in pediatric Crohn's disease, the scientific interest regarding diet in IBD is now focused on the development of follow-on dietary strategies, which aim to suppress colonic inflammation and delay a disease flare. The objective of this review is to present an extensive overview of the dietary strategies, which have been used in the literature to maintain clinical remission in both Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis, and the evidence surrounding the association of dietary components with clinical relapse. We also aim to provide study-related recommendations to be encompassed in future research studies aiming to investigate the role of diet during remission periods in IBD.

Durable Clinical and Biochemical but Not Endoscopic Remission in Pediatric Crohn's Disease on Specific Carbohydrate Diet Monotherapy.

The specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) is an exclusion diet that has gained increasing public attention as a treatment option for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs: Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC)). Studies have demonstrated SCD leads to clinical and biochemical remission. Additional observations had controversial results when mucosal healing, or endoscopic remission was assessed in pediatric CD patients on partial SCD therapy, or SCD as adjunct treatment. There is currently a lack of mucosa-based assessments for pediatric IBD patients on SCD monotherapy. We report three pediatric CD patients who achieved clinical remission on SCD monotherapy, but failed to demonstrate complete mucosal healing with a minimum of one year follow up. This case report highlights that SCD monotherapy in male pediatric CD patients can sustain durable clinical and biochemical remission, but not full mucosal healing.

Effects of soy milk consumption on gut microbiota, inflammatory markers, and disease severity in patients with ulcerative colitis: a study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Several strategies are recommended to alleviate clinical symptoms of ulcerative colitis (UC). Soy milk may affect UC through its anti-inflammatory properties. However, no study has examined the effects of soy milk consumption on gut microbiota and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with UC. The current study will be done to examine the effects of soy milk consumption on UC symptoms, inflammation, and gut microbiota in patients with UC. METHODS: This study is a randomized clinical trial, in which thirty patients with mild to moderate severity of UC will be randomly allocated to receive either 250 mL/day soy milk plus routine treatments (n = 15) or only routine treatments (n = 15) for 4 weeks. Assessment of anthropometric measures and biochemical indicators including serum concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) will be done at the study baseline and end of trial. In addition, the quantity of butyrate-producing bacteria including Clostridium cluster IV, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Roseburia spp.; prebiotic bacteria including Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacteria spp.; and mucus-degrading bacteria including Akkermansia muciniphila, Bacteroides fragilis, and Ruminococcus spp., as well as calprotectin and lactoferrin levels, will be explored in fecal samples. Also, the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio which is of significant relevance in human gut microbiota composition will be assessed. DISCUSSION: Altered gut microbiota has been reported as an important contributing factor to inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Soy milk contains several components such as phytoestrogens with potential anti-inflammatory properties. This product might affect gut microbiota through its protein and fiber content. Therefore, soy milk might beneficially affect systemic inflammation, gut microbiota, and then clinical symptoms in patients with UC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (www.irct.ir) IRCT20181205041859N1. Registered on 27 January 2019.