Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P61278 (somatostatin)
 22,083 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Previous studies have shown that patients with chronic alcohol ingestion may show a variety of morphological and functional alterations in the small intestine. In this study, we have focused on the neuroendocrine system in the duodenal mucosa in chronic alcoholics; an area little studied. Twenty-three defined chronic alcoholics admitted to the hospital for detoxification underwent clinical examination, followed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and blood tests on average 4 days after the most recent alcohol intake. Biopsy specimens were taken from the distal part of the descending duodenum for both immunohistochemical and routine histological examination. The control group consisted of 25 patients referred for upper endoscopy mainly because of dyspepsia (ulcer, reflux type), but who were otherwise healthy. A normal carbohydrate-deficient transferrin and a history of low alcohol consumption (<40 g/week) were required for inclusion in the control group. The tissue specimens were studied using antisera for the following neuropeptides: cholecystokinin, galanin, gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), glucagon, motilin, neuropeptide Y, pituitary adenylyl cyclase activating peptide, secretin, serotonin, somatostatin, substance P, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and protein gene product, as a general marker for neurones and cells of the diffuse neuroendocrine system. The density of nerve fibres was evaluated semi-quantitatively and the number of endocrine cells per unit length of mucosa was counted in sections cut perpendicularly to the mucosal surface. All the different peptidergic nerve fibres in the alcohol group showed higher densities than the corresponding controls. However, this was not a statistically significant difference. A slightly significant increase (P = 0.02) in the numbers of glucagon and GIP cells was seen in the alcohol group. Gastrointestinal symptoms were frequently present (87%) in chronic alcoholics. We suggest that chronic alcohol consumption in man may have a general effect on the peptidergic nerve system and some endocrine cell types in the duodenal mucosa.
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PMID:Neuropeptides in the duodenal mucosa of chronic alcoholic heavy drinkers. 1137 57

Telotristat ethyl (Xermelo), developed by Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, is an oral tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor blocking peripheral conversion of tryptophan to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]). It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2017 and by the European Commission in September 2017 for patients with carcinoid syndrome in whom diarrhea is not adequately controlled by somatostatin analogues (SSAs). Diarrhea, secondary to the release of serotonin, is the predominant gastrointestinal symptom in patients with carcinoid syndrome and has a significant impact on patients' quality of life. Telotristat is not meant for all patients with diarrhea and carcinoid syndrome. Prescribing of telotristat for patients with diarrhea refractory to SSAs requires careful consideration and an approach that involves identifying and ruling out other common causes of diarrhea in patients with carcinoid syndrome. Delineating the timing of diarrhea and whether it occurs in patients with stable disease versus cancer progression can help identify the right drug candidates for therapy.
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PMID:Telotristat ethyl for the treatment of carcinoid syndrome diarrhea not controlled by somatostatin analogues. 3009 Aug 79