Biomaterial Database

Imbalance in intestinal microflora constitution could be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. 2008

Hiromasa Takaishi, and Takahiro Matsuki, and Atsushi Nakazawa, and Toshihiko Takada, and Shoichi Kado, and Takashi Asahara, and Nobuhiko Kamada, and Atsushi Sakuraba, and Tomoharu Yajima, and Hajime Higuchi, and Nagamu Inoue, and Haruhiko Ogata, and Yasushi Iwao, and Koji Nomoto, and Ryuichiro Tanaka, and Toshifumi Hibi

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.

Since genetically engineered animal models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not develop colitis under germ-free conditions, the intestinal microflora is thought to be one of the most important environmental factors associated with IBD. To understand the involvement of intestinal microflora in the pathogenesis of IBD, we analyzed the constituents of intestinal microflora in IBD. Faecal samples from 73 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 23 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) were analyzed by quantitative PCR using 16S rRNA gene-targeted group-specific primers for Bacteroides fragilis group, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium coccoides groups, Clostridium leptum subgroup, Atopobium cluster, and seven species of Bacteroides. We analyzed the distribution of the predominant microflora by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using group-specific probes. We also examined the concentration of faecal organic acids produced by intestinal microflora. Contrary to previous reports, we found that the B. fragilis group was significantly decreased in the faeces of patients with IBD. Moreover, B. vulgatus was the predominant microflora in healthy controls and relatively decreased among IBD patients. Most of the microflora adhering to the colonic mucosa surrounding the mucus layer comprised C. coccoides group and Bifidobacterium. B. fragilis group mainly inhabited the faeces, but did not adhere to or invade the mucosa. The concentrations of propionic and butyric acids in the faeces were significantly decreased in patients with IBD. These findings indicate that IBD is not caused by a specific intestinal bacterial cluster or species and that disordered intestinal microflora could be involved in the pathogenesis of IBD.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007413	Intestinal Mucosa	Lining of the INTESTINES, consisting of an inner EPITHELIUM, a middle LAMINA PROPRIA, and an outer MUSCULARIS MUCOSAE. In the SMALL INTESTINE, the mucosa is characterized by a series of folds and abundance of absorptive cells (ENTEROCYTES) with MICROVILLI.	Intestinal Epithelium,Intestinal Glands,Epithelium, Intestinal,Gland, Intestinal,Glands, Intestinal,Intestinal Gland,Mucosa, Intestinal
D007422	Intestines	The section of the alimentary canal from the STOMACH to the ANAL CANAL. It includes the LARGE INTESTINE and SMALL INTESTINE.	Intestine
D011422	Propionates	Derivatives of propionic acid. Included under this heading are a broad variety of acid forms, salts, esters, and amides that contain the carboxyethane structure.	Propanoate,Propanoic Acid,Propionate,Propanoates,Propanoic Acid Derivatives,Propanoic Acids,Propionic Acid Derivatives,Propionic Acids,Acid, Propanoic,Acids, Propanoic,Acids, Propionic,Derivatives, Propanoic Acid,Derivatives, Propionic Acid
D003013	Clostridium	A genus of motile or nonmotile gram-positive bacteria of the family Clostridiaceae. Many species have been identified with some being pathogenic. They occur in water, soil, and in the intestinal tract of humans and lower animals.
D004269	DNA, Bacterial	Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of bacteria.	Bacterial DNA
D004275	DNA, Ribosomal	DNA sequences encoding RIBOSOMAL RNA and the segments of DNA separating the individual ribosomal RNA genes, referred to as RIBOSOMAL SPACER DNA.	Ribosomal DNA,rDNA
D005243	Feces	Excrement from the INTESTINES, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and BACTERIA of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria
D001439	Bacteroides	A genus of gram-negative, anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria. Its organisms are normal inhabitants of the oral, respiratory, intestinal, and urogenital cavities of humans, animals, and insects. Some species may be pathogenic.