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Cover image supplied by Carolina Tropini, Sonnenburg Group, Stanford University, USA, who is funded by a James S. McDonnell fellowship. Fluorescent in situ hybridization of mouse colon colonized with gnotobiotic microbiota. Tissue was stained by DAPI and the mucus labelled with UEA-1 (Ulex europaeus agglutinin I), bacteria were labelled with fluorescent DNA probes.
The treatment of IBD is currently suboptimal. Continuous monitoring of patients with IBD, patient engagement and early treatment adjustments are still difficult hurdles. E-Health could be an efficient tool to improve these aspects, but the current evidence for its use in IBD is poor. An integrated cost-effective e-health system supported by a stable legal framework is eagerly needed.
Drug development in hepatocellular carcinoma had essentially stalled since 2008 when sorafenib was established as the modest standard of care. Now, a positive result in a phase III study evaluating regorafenib challenges us to weigh its clinical significance as well as its real-world benefits and potential harms.
Bidirectional gut–brain communications are proving key to both gastrointestinal and neurological diseases. This Review explores the role of the mucosal immune system as gatekeeper and master regulator of these brain–gut and gut–brain communications.
Obesity is a major public health problem worldwide, and bariatric surgery offers an effective option for treatment of obesity and related comorbidities. Here, Nguyen and Varela discuss the indications, safety and outcomes of different bariatric operations in obesity and related metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, and examine emerging surgical treatment options.
Autophagy is a conserved process critically involved in many cellular functions. In this Review, Ueno and Komatsu discuss the role and regulation of autophagy in healthy liver and in hepatic disease states, including NAFLD, α1-antitrypsin deficiency and viral hepatitis.
Systemic vasculitides can involve the gastrointestinal tract, hepatic system and pancreas, causing a range of gastrointestinal manifestations. In this Review, the authors summarize the epidemiology, gastrointestinal manifestations and management of systemic vasculitides as well as single-organ vasculitides in the gastrointestinal tract.