This Month in Gastroenterology

Receiver operator curve for the diagnosis of upper GI malignancy using alarm symptoms, clinical opinion, or computer models applied to symptom questionnaires.

Rate of IBS according to the Rome I criteria, 2 to 3 years after acute gastroenteritis from exposure to contaminated drinking water (between-group comparisons reported; overall 3-way comparison by χ² P < .001).

PPARβ controls the number of Paneth cells by regulating the differentiation of their precursors. (A) Double immunofluorescence showing the co-localization of hedgehog signaling pathway components (Ihh, Ptch-1, and Hip) with lysozyme protein. Red arrows indicate mature Paneth cells and white arrows indicate Paneth cell precursors. (B) Average number of Ptch-1 positive cells in the crypt epithelium as assessed by immunohistochemistry in the small intestine of wild-type and PPARβ-null mice treated or not with L-165041 (a PPARβ agonist) (grey bars) or with cyclopamine (a specific inhibitor of hedgehog signaling) (black bars) (=5; *P < .05). (C) Schematic representation of the hedgehog signaling pathway between mature and precursor Paneth cells. (D) Model for PPARβ action on the level of Ihh, resulting in the alteration of Paneth cell homeostasis.

Co-transfer of antigen-specific regulatory CD4⁺ T cells reduces the impact of intestinal inflammation. VILLIN-HA transgenic mice received 3 × 10⁶ transgenic CD8⁺Vβ8⁺ T cells with 3 × 10⁶ antigen-specific regulatory CD4⁺T cells from IG-HA × TCR-HA transgenic mice, 3 × 10⁶ polyclonal regulatory CD4⁺ T cells from BALB/c mice or 3 × 10⁶ antigen-specific naïve CD4⁺ T cells from TCR-HA transgenic mice. (A) At day 4 after transfer, H&E staining of the paraffin-embedded tissues from the small intestine were analyzed. (B) Histological scores from (A). Mean values of 2 independent experiments (each group n = 6 total) are depicted. (ns, not significant; **P < .01).