OBJECTIVETo better comprehend the molecular structure and physiological function of the housefly larval peritrophic matrix (PM), a mass spectrometry approach was used to investigate the PM protein composition.

METHODSThe PM was dissected from the midgut of the third instar larvae, and protein extracted from the PM was evaluated using SDS-PAGE. A 1D-PAGE lane containing all protein bands was cut from top to bottom, the proteins in-gel trypsinised and analysed via shotgun liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

RESULTSIn total, 374 proteins, with molecular weights varying from 8.225 kD to 996.065 kD and isoelectric points ranging from 3.83 to 11.24 were successfully identified, most identified proteins were mainly related to immunity, digestion, nutrient metabolism and PM structure. Furthermore, many of these proteins were functionally associated with pattern binding, polysaccharide binding, structural constituent of peritrophic membrane and chitin binding, according to Gene Ontology annotation.

CONCLUSIONThe PM protein composition, which provides a basis for further functional investigations of the identified proteins, will be useful for understanding the housefly larval gut immune system and may help to identify potential targets and exploit new bioinsecticides.

Animals ; Chitin ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; metabolism ; Houseflies ; metabolism ; Insect Proteins ; metabolism ; Larva ; metabolism ; Proteomics

Oral drug bioavailability depends on gastrointestinal absorption, intestinal transporters and metabolism enzymes are the important factors in drug gastrointestinal absorption and they can also be induced or inhibited by the active ingredients of Chinese materia medica. This article presents important application of intestinal transporters and metabolism enzymes on gastrointestinal disposal of the active ingredients of Chinese materia medica, and points out the importance of research on transport and metabolism of the active ingredients of Chinese materia medica in Chinese extract and Chinese medicinal formulae.
Animals ; Carrier Proteins ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intestines ; metabolism ; Materia Medica ; metabolism

Forkhead box (Fox) proteins play critical roles in the regulation of differentiation, proliferation, immunity and aging of cells. Most studies on Fox proteins are limited to cultured cells and rodent. The aim of the current study is to detect by immunohistrochemistry whether FoxO1, FoxO3a and FoxO4 proteins are localized in the stomach and intestine of the pig. The results showed that FoxO4 exists in the mucosa in all parts of the stomach and intestine; FoxO3a exists mainly in the lamina propria and muscularis of some parts. However, FoxO1 is not detectable in all parts of the stomach and intestine. Collectively, the results of the present study indicate that there exists a distinct expression pattern of Fox proteins, and that FoxO4 is a primary forkhead transcriptional factor localized in the gastrointestinal tracts of the pig.
Animals ; Female ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Sus scrofa ; metabolism ; Tissue Distribution

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; metabolism ; Neuroglia ; metabolism ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Peptide Fragments ; metabolism ; Peptides ; metabolism ; Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats

This study aimed to elucidate the digestive characteristics of flavonoid components in Xiaoer Chiqiao Qingre Granules(XECQ) in the gastrointestinal environment of infants. An in vitro model was established to simulate the gastric and intestinal environment of infants. UPLC was used to analyze the content change of flavonoid components in XECQ, and their overall content was integrated through the mass fraction weight coefficient method. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was employed to determine the digestive products of flavonoid components in gastrointestinal fluids and their metabolic pathways. The results showed that in the process of digestion, 11 digestion products were generated by oxidation, reduction, deglycosylation, methylation and other phase Ⅰ metabolism. From flavonoid content and component changes, it was found that the flavonoid components in XECQ were relatively stable in the gastric fluid, while their content in the intestinal fluid was first increased and then maintained stable. This was mainly because flavonoid components were released from proteins, polysaccharides and other macromolecular substances during gastrointestinal digestion. In addition, phase Ⅰ metabolism occurred, but with relatively low metabolic rate, resulting in their stable content. This study preliminarily explored the digestive characteristics of flavonoid components in XECQ in the infant gastrointestinal environment, which laid a foundation for further studying the absorption, transport and metabolism of pharmacodynamics components in XECQ, and facilitated the study of the biopharmaceutical pro-perties of pediatric Chinese medicine.
Infant ; Humans ; Child ; Flavonoids/metabolism* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Intestines ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/metabolism* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid

Glycosides are important active components in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Their pharmacological activity, pharmacokinetic characteristics and in vivo existence become hotspots of current studies. The metabolic pathways of these glycosides are de-glycosylation mainly mediated by gut microbiota. After glycosides were metabolized into aglycones, they could be absorbed more easily and show better pharmacological effects. In this article, we reviewed the main glycosidase in gut microbiota which helps metabolize TCM glycosides, relevant bacterial strains which generate glycosidase, as well as the de-glycosylated metabolic pathways of the representative glycosides, on the basis of gut microbiota's important roles in in vivo metabolism and efficacy of TCM glycosides. We also preliminarily solved problems in studies on de-glycosylation of TCM glycosides.
Animals ; Bacteria ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Glycosylation ; Humans ; Metagenome

This study aims to investigate whether a self-made novel pulsatile drug delivery system--razine phosphate pulsincap capsule-will achieve a pulsatile drug release in vivo and to study the drug release sites. A gamma scintigraphic study was conducted to assess the in vivo transit and release behavior of the pulsincap capsule with a drug tablet containing 99mTc-labeled diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of dog. The results revealed that after a time interval (lag time), the drug tablet began to disintegrate and then released at the pylorus of stomach or in the small intestine of dogs with a relatively rapid release rate, which was consistent with the expected pulsed release pattern. The in vivo lag time of the pulsincap capsule in dog was shortened with the decrease of erodible plugs(EP) weight. Thus we can achieve a desirable lag time to meet the chronotherapeutic requirements by adjusting the weight of EP.
Animals ; Capsules ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Dogs ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Transit ; Pyrazines ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Radionuclide Imaging

OBJECTIVETo systematically review the updated information about the gut microbiota-brain axis.

DATA SOURCESAll articles about gut microbiota-brain axis published up to July 18, 2016, were identified through a literature search on PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science, with the keywords of "gut microbiota", "gut-brain axis", and "neuroscience".

STUDY SELECTIONAll relevant articles on gut microbiota and gut-brain axis were included and carefully reviewed, with no limitation of study design.

RESULTSIt is well-recognized that gut microbiota affects the brain's physiological, behavioral, and cognitive functions although its precise mechanism has not yet been fully understood. Gut microbiota-brain axis may include gut microbiota and their metabolic products, enteric nervous system, sympathetic and parasympathetic branches within the autonomic nervous system, neural-immune system, neuroendocrine system, and central nervous system. Moreover, there may be five communication routes between gut microbiota and brain, including the gut-brain's neural network, neuroendocrine-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, gut immune system, some neurotransmitters and neural regulators synthesized by gut bacteria, and barrier paths including intestinal mucosal barrier and blood-brain barrier. The microbiome is used to define the composition and functional characteristics of gut microbiota, and metagenomics is an appropriate technique to characterize gut microbiota.

CONCLUSIONSGut microbiota-brain axis refers to a bidirectional information network between the gut microbiota and the brain, which may provide a new way to protect the brain in the near future.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; physiology ; Central Nervous System ; metabolism ; physiology ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; physiology ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; microbiology ; Humans ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; metabolism ; physiology ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; metabolism ; physiology

Bak Foong Pill has been used traditionally for treating gynecological disorders for several centuries but also with a newly modified formula for treating postmenopausal symptoms. Cumulating evidence indicates that Bak Foong Pill acts on multi-systems and affects various organ functions. The present review discusses the effects of Bak Foong Pill and its active components on overall body function, with particular focus on the gastrointestinal epithelial ion transport and the related underlying mechanisms.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; cytology ; Humans ; Ion Transport ; drug effects

As an essential metabolic molecule, bile acids regulate triglyceride, cholesterol, energy metabolism. Bariatric surgery offers a treatment that can reduce weight and induce metabolic syndrome, but the mechanism is still unclear. New researches reveal that serum bile acids are elevated after surgery, as well as the improvement of metabolic disease. The surgery changes gastrointestinal tract, resulting in a short circuiting of the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids. Here we review the bile acids metabolism and their effect after bariatric surgery.
Bariatric Surgery ; Bile Acids and Salts ; Enterohepatic Circulation ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Metabolic Syndrome