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ntroduction and objectives: Laminarin is a low molecular weight (504 Da) glucose branched polysaccharide which modulates humoral and cellular immune response, both non-specific and specific. Laminarin possesses anti-tumorous activity as it induces apoptosis and modulates the colonic microbio­ta. The aim of our current study was to evaluate anti-laminarin antibodies in colorectal carcinoma. Methods: A total of 46 individuals were enrolled in the prospective study including 14 controls (5 men, 9 women, age 29–80, mean 55 ± 13) and 32 patients with colorectal carcinoma, CRC (14 men, 18 women, age 46–86, mean 66 ± 11). Two outliers were identified in the CRC group. Out of 30 CRC patients, 12 individuals had right-sided CRC (12/30; 40%). Majority of the CRC patients had stage III (13/30; 43%) or IV (13/30; 43%) cancer. Most of the CRC patients had moderately (15/30; 50%) or poorly (11/30; 37%) differentiated CRC. Samples were obtained from the peripheral venous blood and investigation of the serum IgG anti-laminarin antibodies was performed by means of ELISA and measured in U/mL. Results: Serum anti-laminarin antibodies were significantly higher in controls compared to the CRC group (16.23 ± 6.60; 11.41 ± 5.53; p = 0.015) and in controls compared to left-sided carcinoma (11.38 ± 5.39; p = 0.046). A statistically significant difference was observed between controls and CRC stage III (11.01 ± 3.36; p = 0.017) and between controls and CRC stage IV (10.98 ± 6.06; p = 0.049). Anti-laminarin antibodies were significantly lower in moderately differentiated CRC compared to controls (10.78 ± 5.22; p = 0.020), but not in poorly differentiated CRC (12.10 ± 6.28; p = 0.755). No difference was identified between controls and females with CRC (11.94 ± 6.39; p = 0.092). There was a significant difference between controls and males with CRC (10.72 ± 4.32; p = 0.017). Conclusion: Serum anti-laminarin antibodies were significantly lower in the CRC group and CRC subgroups compared to controls. Key words: colorectal cancer– anti-laminarin antibodies – tumorous bio­logy

S100 proteins are involved in biological events related to colorectal carcinogenesis. Aim of this prospective study was to assess serum concentration of S100A6, A8, A9 and A11 proteins in patients with colorectal neoplasia. Eighty-four subjects were enrolled: 20 controls (average risk population with normal findings on colonoscopy; 7 men, 13 women, age 23-74, mean 55 ± 14), 20 patients with non-advanced colorectal adenoma (non-AA, 10 men, 10 women, age 41-82, mean 62 ± 11), 22 with advanced colorectal adenoma (AA, 15 men, 7 women, age 49-80, mean 64 ± 8) and 22 with colorectal cancer (CRC, 12 men, 10 women, age 49-86, mean 69 ± 10). Peripheral venous blood was obtained. Serum S100 proteins were investigated by enzyme immunoassay technique. Serum S100A6 was significantly lower in CRC (mean 8530 ± 4743 ng/L)

Introduction: The aim of our study was to assess association of serum S100A4 protein with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). Methods: Study included 118 subjects: 93 patients with CD, 16 with UC and 9 controls. In CD group, 20/93 patients had B1 phenotype, 19/93 B2, 20/93 B3 and 34/93 B2 + B3. L1 involvement was present in 15/93, L2 in 14/93 and L3 in 64/93 patients. Serum S100A4 concentration was investigated in peripheral venous blood samples by means of ELISA. Results: Serum S100A4 was significantly higher in UC (158.6 ± 56.2 ng/mL), p = 0.019 and in CD (154.4 ± 52.1 ng/mL), p = 0.007 compared to controls (104.8 ± 40.5 ng/mL). No difference in S100A4 was revealed between UC and CD, p > 0.05. Serum S100A4 in each CD subgroup (according to behaviour) was significantly higher compared to controls, p < 0.05. Serum S100A4 was significantly higher in L2 (144.6 ± 44.2 ng/mL), p = 0.041 and in L3 (163.0 ± 52.8 ng/mL), p = 0.002 compared to controls and in L3 compared to L1 (126.9 ± 47.6 ng/mL), p = 0.017. Conclusion: Association of serum S100A4 protein with UC and CD was confirmed. In CD, disease behaviour did not influence serum concentration of S100A4 protein. In CD, higher levels of serum S100A4 were observed in patients with ileo-colonic and colonic involvement compared to those with isolated small bowel involvement.

Background Optimal therapy for colorectal carcinoma (CRC), a frequently diagnosed malignancy, does not exist. Some of colicins and microcins, ribosomally synthesized peptides by gramnegative bacteria, have shown significant biological activity specifically against different cancer cells in vitro and in vivo conditions. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate natural colicin and microcin production by large intestinal mucosal bacteria in each stage of colorectal neoplasia and in those with a history of colorectal neoplasia. Methods A total of 21 patients with non-advanced adenoma (non-a-A; 16/21 with current and 5/21 with history of non-a-A), 20 patients with advanced colorectal adenoma (a-A; 11/20 with current and 9/20 with history of a-A), 22 individuals with CRC (9/22 with current and 13/22 with history of CRC) and 20 controls were enrolled. Mucosal biopsies from the caecum, transverse colon and the rectum were taken during colonoscopy in each individual. Microbiological culture followed. Production of colicins and microcins was evaluated by PCR methods. Results A total of 239 mucosal biopsies were taken. Production of colicins and microcins was significantly more frequent in individuals with non-a-A, a-A and CRC compared to controls. No significant difference in colicin and microcin production was found between patients with current and previous non-a-A, a-A and CRC. Significantly more frequent production of colicins was observed in men compared to women at the stage of colorectal carcinoma. A later onset of increased production of microcins during the adenoma-carcinoma sequence has been observed in males compared to females. Conclusions Strains isolated from large intestinal mucosa in patients with colorectal neoplasia produce colicins and microcins more frequently compared to controls. Bacteriocin production does not differ between patients with current and previous colorectal neoplasia. Fundamental differences in bacteriocin production have been confirmed between males and females.

Analysis of Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is a re-discovered approach to monitoring the course of the disease and reduce invasive methods of patient investigation. However, the major disadvantage and shortcoming of the EBC is lack of reliable and reproducible standardization of the method. Despite many articles published on EBC, until now there is no clear consensus on whether the analysis of EBC can provide a clue to diagnosis of the diseases. The purpose of this paper is to investigate our own method, to search for possible standardization and to obtain our own initial experience. Thirty healthy volunteers provided the EBC, in which we monitored the density, pH, protein, chloride and urea concentration. Our results show that EBC pH is influenced by smoking, and urea concentrations are affected by the gender of subjects. Age of subjects does not play a role. The smallest coefficient of variation between individual volunteers is for density determination. Current limitations of EBC measurements are the low concentration of many biomarkers. Standardization needs to be specific for each individual biomarker, with focusing on optimal condensate collection. EBC analysis has a potential become diagnostic test, not only for lung diseases.

Background Precise diagnostics of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and identification of potentially more aggressive phenotypes of Crohn’s disease (CD) is urgently needed. The aim of our prospective study was to assess the relationship between serum anti-OmpC IgA (Outer membrane protein C), anti-GP2 (anti-glycoprotein 2) IgG and anti-GP2 IgA antibodies with IBD and their association with complicated forms of CD. Methods The study included 86 patients with CD, 25 patients with UC and 45 controls, blood donors. In CD group, 24/86 (28%) had B1 phenotype, 20/86 (23%) B2, 13/86 (15%) B3 and 29/86 (34%) B2 + B3. L1 involvement was present in 13/86 (15%), L2 in 13/86 (15%), L3 in 60/86 (70%). Serum anti-OmpC IgA, anti-GP2 IgG and IgA antibodies were investigated by means of ELISA. The data obtained were tested statistically by means of descriptive statistics, non-paired t-test, Mann-Whitney rank sum test, Spearman rank order correlation and Pearson product moment correlation using SigmaStat software. Results Anti-OmpC IgA were noted to be significantly higher in CD (median 32.6, inter-quartile range (IQR) 18.9-60.7) compared to the controls (median 18.3, IQR 11.1-23.1), p

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the 3rd most common cancer worldwide and the Czech Republic has the 6th highest incidence of CRC worldwide. Large intestinal microbiota play in its etiopathogenesis important role. Bacteriocins are proteins, produced by bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family. The aim of our prospective study was to assess the colonization of large intestinal mucosa by Escherichia coli strains and to investigate their bacteriocin production. Methods A total of 30 consecutive patients with colorectal adenoma, CRA (17 men, 13 women, aged 39–79, mean age 63 ± 9), 30 patients with CRC (23 men, 7 women, aged 38–86, mean age 67 ± 11) and 20 healthy controls (9 men, 11 women, age 23–84, mean age 55 ± 15) were enrolled into prospective study. Mucosal biopsies were taken in the caecum, transverse colon and rectum during pancolonoscopy. Microbiological culture, isolation and identification of bacteria followed. Bacteriocin production was assessed by growth inhibition of indicator strains E. coli K12-Row, E. coli C6 (phi), and Shigella sonnei 17. Identification of bacteriocin-encoding determinants and E. coli phylogroups was performed using PCR methods. Results A total of 622 strains were isolated and further investigated. A significantly higher frequency of simultaneous production of colicins and microcins was revealed in the group of patients with CRC, when compared to patients with CRA, p = 0.031. A significantly higher frequency of E. coli phylogroup D was found in patients with CRC, when compared to controls, p = 0.044. A significantly higher prevalence of bacteriocinogeny was confirmed in patients with advanced adenoma when compared to patients with non-advanced adenoma, p = 0.010. Increasing bacteriocinogeny was associated with an increasing stage of CRC (assessed according to TNM classification). Either E. coli phylogroup B2 or E. coli phylogroup D were isolated in biopsies of patients with right-sided CRC. A statistically higher incidence of E. coli phylogroup B2 was found in patients with right-sided CRC when compared to patients with left-sided CRC, p = 0.028. Conclusions Large intestinal mucosa of patients with more advanced colorectal neoplasia is colonized with more virulent strains of E. coli and higher production of bacteriocins is observed in these patients when compared to those with less advanced colorectal neoplasia. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-014-0733-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a 1.5–3.5-fold higher risk of thromboembolism when compared to the non-IBD population and the risk is much more prominent at the time of a flare. Arterial thromboembolism (ischemic stroke, focal white matter ischemia, cardiac ischemia, peripheral vascular disease and mesenteric ischemia) and venous thromboembolism (deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, retinal, hepatic, portal and mesenteric vein thromboses) belong to the group of underestimated extraintestinal complications in IBD patients, which are associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate (the overall mortality is as high as 25 % per episode). Thromboembolism occurs in younger patients compared to the non-IBD population and has a high recurrence rate. Multiple risk factors are involved in the etiopathogenesis, but the acquired ones play the key role. Congenital alterations do not occur more frequently in IBD patients when compared to the non-IBD population. Standardized guidelines for the prophylaxis of thromboembolism in IBD patients are urgently needed and these should be respected in clinical practice to avoid preventable morbidity and mortality.