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This study aimed to explore the impact of SCD Probiotics supplementation on biomolecule profiles and histopathology of ileum and colon tissues during a 30‐day intermittent fasting (IF) program. Male Sprague–Dawley rats, aged 24 months, underwent 18‐h daily fasting and received 3 mL (1 × 108 CFU) of SCD Probiotics. The differences in biomolecule profiles were determined using FTIR Spectroscopy and two machine learning techniques, Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Support Vector Machine (SVM), which showed significant differences with high accuracy rates. Spectrochemical bands indicating alterations in lipid, protein and nucleic acid profiles in both tissues. The most notable changes were observed in the group subjected to both IF and SCD Probiotics, particularly in the colon. Both interventions, individually and in combination, decreased protein carbonylation levels. SCD Probiotics exerted a more substantial impact on membrane dynamics than IF alone. Additionally, both IF and SCD Probiotics were found to have protective effects on intestinal structure and stability by reducing mast cell density and levels of TNF‐α and NF‐κB expression in ileum and colon tissues, thus potentially mitigating age‐related intestinal damage and inflammation. Furthermore, our results illustrated that while IF and SCD Probiotics individually instigate unique changes in ileum and colon tissues, their combined application yielded more substantial benefits. This study provides evidence for the synergistic potential of IF and SCD Probiotics in combating age‐related intestinal alterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the effects of plasma exchange on the biomolecular profiles and histology of ileum and colon tissues in young and aged Sprague–Dawley male rats. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, linear discriminant analysis and support vector machine (SVM) techniques were employed to analyse the lipid, protein, and nucleic acid indices in young and aged rats. Following the application of young plasma, aged rats demonstrated biomolecular profiles similar to those of their younger counterparts. Histopathological and immunohistochemical assessments showed that young plasma had a protective effect on the intestinal tissues of aged rats, increasing cell density and reducing inflammation. Additionally, the expression levels of key inflammatory mediators tumour necrosis factor‐alpha and cyclooxygenase‐2 significantly decreased after young plasma administration. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of young plasma for mitigating age‐related changes and inflammation in the intestinal tract. They highlight the critical role of plasma composition in the ageing process and suggest the need for further research to explore how different regions of the intestines respond to plasma exchange. Such understanding could facilitate the development of innovative therapies targeting the gastrointestinal system, enhancing overall health during ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunofluorescence microscopy is an essential tool for tissue‐based research, yet data reporting is almost always qualitative. Quantification of images, at the per‐cell level, enables "flow cytometry‐type" analyses with intact locational data but achieving this is complex. Gastrointestinal tissue, for example, is highly diverse: from mixed‐cell epithelial layers through to discrete lymphoid patches. Moreover, different species (e.g., rat, mouse, and humans) and tissue preparations (paraffin/frozen) are all commonly studied. Here, using field‐relevant examples, we develop open, user‐friendly methodology that can encompass these variables to provide quantitative tissue microscopy for the field. Antibody‐independent cell labeling approaches, compatible across preparation types and species, were optimized. Per‐cell data were extracted from routine confocal micrographs, with semantic machine learning employed to tackle densely packed lymphoid tissues. Data analysis was achieved by flow cytometry‐type analyses alongside visualization and statistical definition of cell locations, interactions and established microenvironments. First, quantification of Escherichia coli passage into human small bowel tissue, following Ussing chamber incubations exemplified objective quantification of rare events in the context of lumen‐tissue crosstalk. Second, in rat jejenum, precise histological context revealed distinct populations of intraepithelial lymphocytes between and directly below enterocytes enabling quantification in context of total epithelial cell numbers. Finally, mouse mononuclear phagocyte—T cell interactions, cell expression and significant spatial cell congregations were mapped to shed light on cell–cell communication in lymphoid Peyer's patch. Accessible, quantitative tissue microscopy provides a new window‐of‐insight to diverse questions in gastroenterology. It can also help combat some of the data reproducibility crisis associated with antibody technologies and over‐reliance on qualitative microscopy. © 2020 The Authors. Cytometry Part A published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lin Z, Hegarty JP, Cappel JA, Yu W, Chen X, Faber P, Wang Y, Kelly AA, Poritz LS, Peterson BZ, Schreiber S, Fan J-B, Koltun WA. Identification of disease-associated DNA methylation in intestinal tissues from patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Overwhelming evidence supports the theory that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is caused by a complex interplay between genetic predispositions of multiple genes, combined with an abnormal interaction with environmental factors. It is becoming apparent that epigenetic factors can have a significant contribution in the pathogenesis of disease. Changes in the methylation state of IBD-associated genes could significantly alter levels of gene expression, potentially contributing to disease onset and progression. We have explored the role of DNA methylation in IBD pathogenesis. DNA methylation profiles (1505 CpG sites of 807 genes) of matched diseased ( n = 26) and non-diseased ( n = 26) intestinal tissues from 26 patients with IBD [Crohn's disease (CD) n = 9, ulcerative colitis (UC) n = 17] were profiled using the GoldenGate™ methylation assay. After an initial identification of a panel of 50 differentially methylated CpG sites from a training set (14 non-diseased and 14 diseased tissues) and subsequent validation with a testing set (12 non-diseased and 12 diseased tissues), we identified seven CpG sites that are differentially methylated in intestinal tissues of IBD patients. We have also identified changes in DNA methylation associated with the two major IBD subtypes, CD and UC. This study reports IBD-associated changes in DNA methylation in intestinal tissue, which may be disease subtype-specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]