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Biomedicines
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Digestive Disorders: Translation and Bridging the Gap Between Research, Diagnosis,...
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Digestive Disorders: Translation and Bridging the Gap Between Research, Diagnosis, and Treatment

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular and Translational Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 4102

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Goran Hauser

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Department of Gastroenterology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Interests: irritable bowel syndrome; gut microbiota; clinical nutrition; gastrointestinal endoscopy
Dr. Goran Poropat

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Gastroenterology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Kresimirova 42, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Interests: internal medicine; gastroenterology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, entitled "Digestive Disorders: Translation and Bridging the Gap Between Research, Diagnosis, and Treatment", provides a comprehensive exploration of the current advancements and challenges in the field of digestive disorders. This collection of articles aims to bridge the gap between research findings, effective diagnosis, and successful treatment strategies for various digestive conditions.

This Special Issue begins by highlighting the importance of research in understanding the complex nature of specific digestive disorders. It emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary approaches, bringing together researchers from different fields such as gastroenterology, digestive surgery, microbiology, oncology, and endocrinology. The articles delve into the latest studies and discoveries, shedding light on the underlying mechanisms, risk factors, and diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to different digestive disorders.

In the realm of treatment, this Special Issue covers a wide range of therapeutic approaches for digestive disorders. It explores both traditional and emerging treatment modalities, including pharmacological interventions, dietary modifications, and novel therapies such as microbiota-based interventions. The articles highlight personalized treatment strategies aimed at improving patient care and management of digestive disorders.

Overall, this Special Issue serves as a valuable resource for researchers and policymakers involved in the field of gastroenterology. It brings together cutting-edge research, diagnostic advancements, and treatment innovations, fostering a comprehensive understanding of digestive disorders and paving the way for improved patient outcomes in this challenging medical domain.

Dr. Goran Hauser
Dr. Goran Poropat
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • acute pancreatis
  • clinical nutrition
  • metabolic disorders
  • NAFLD
  • obesity
  • DGBA
  • gut microbiota

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 5313 KiB  
Article
Accuracy of Imaging Scoring Indexes in Pediatric Crohn’s Disease Patients
by Goran Hauser, Goran Palčevski, Barbara Čandrlić, Pero Hrabač and Damir Miletić
Biomedicines 2025, 13(5), 1157; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051157 - 9 May 2025
Viewed by 205
Abstract
Background: Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory condition that can affect the gastrointestinal tract and cause significant extraintestinal manifestations. Diagnosing and monitoring disease activity, especially in pediatric patients, remains a challenge due to the variable clinical presentations and limitations of traditional imaging [...] Read more.
Background: Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory condition that can affect the gastrointestinal tract and cause significant extraintestinal manifestations. Diagnosing and monitoring disease activity, especially in pediatric patients, remains a challenge due to the variable clinical presentations and limitations of traditional imaging methods. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility of small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) versus magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) for assessing disease activity and extent in pediatric Crohn’s disease using the Pediatric Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (PCDAI) and Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Disease (SES-CD) as reference standards. Methods: In this prospective study, 52 pediatric patients with newly diagnosed CD underwent upper and lower endoscopy, MRE, and SBCE. The SBCE images were analyzed using the Capsule Endoscopy Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CECDAI), while the MRE images were scored using the Crohn’s Disease MRI Index (CDMI). Correlations of these findings with PCDAI and SES-CD were statistically analyzed. Results: CECDAI and CDMI demonstrated strong correlations with PCDAI (r = 0.517 and r = 0.525, respectively; p < 0.001). The correlations between CECDAI and SES-CD were less pronounced but significant. SBCE and MRE showed comparable efficacy in detecting small bowel lesions, with both methods offering valuable insights into the disease status. Conclusions: SBCE is a reliable, non-invasive tool for diagnosing and monitoring pediatric CD, comparable to MRE. While SBCE offers higher resolution for mucosal evaluation, it requires additional expertise for optimal interpretation. The adoption of SBCE alongside MRE could enhance diagnostic accuracy and early therapeutic interventions for pediatric CD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digestive Disorders: Translation and Bridging the Gap Between Research, Diagnosis, and Treatment)
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13 pages, 3764 KiB  
Article
Polo-like Kinase 1 Expression as a Biomarker in Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective Two-Center Study
by Lana Jajac Brucic, Vesna Bisof, Majana Soce, Marko Skelin, Ivan Krecak, Andjela Nadinic, Branka Vrbicic, Zivana Puljiz, Suzana Hancic and Slavko Gasparov
Biomedicines 2025, 13(1), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13010054 - 29 Dec 2024
Viewed by 736
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) is more frequently characterized by poorly differentiated, aggressive tumors, often diagnosed at advanced stages, and associated with worse prognoses. Despite these differences, current treatment guidelines do not distinguish between EOCRC and late-onset colorectal cancer (LOCRC). Elevated expression [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) is more frequently characterized by poorly differentiated, aggressive tumors, often diagnosed at advanced stages, and associated with worse prognoses. Despite these differences, current treatment guidelines do not distinguish between EOCRC and late-onset colorectal cancer (LOCRC). Elevated expression of polo-like kinase 1 (PLK-1) has been linked to advanced disease stages and poorer treatment outcomes, including resistance to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, data on PLK-1 expression in EOCRC compared to LOCRC remain limited. Methods: Patients with sporadic CRC, aged >18 years, were included in this study. We categorized the patients into two groups: patients younger than 50 years, and those aged 50 years or older. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to assess PLK-1 expression. The aim of this study was to assess PLK-1 expression considering the age of the patients and its effects on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: A total of 146 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) were included in this retrospective two-center study. Patients with low PLK-1 expression were older than patients with high PLK-1 expression (64 (49–71) years vs. 49 (42–67) years, p = 0.016). Multiple logistic regression confirmed that age is a significant predictor of PLK-1 expression, independent of the covariates (p = 0.036). The Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed no significant association between PLK-1 expression and PFS (p = 0.397) or OS (p = 0.448). Accordingly, Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed no significant association between PLK-1 expression and OS (HR 1.20, 95% CI 0.73–1.96, p = 0.598) or PFS (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.51–1.43, p = 0.611) when covariates were taken into account. Finally, no significant differences in PFS (p = 0.423) or OS (p = 0.104) were found between the age groups of interest. Conclusions: PLK-1 expression was not associated with survival or progression in EOCRC and LOCRC patients. Further research on these combinations is necessary, as well as the discovery of new potential targets for targeted therapy and the mechanisms of synergistic effects in tumors with PLK-1 overexpression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digestive Disorders: Translation and Bridging the Gap Between Research, Diagnosis, and Treatment)
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Review

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26 pages, 593 KiB  
Review
Intestinal Microbiota Modulation by Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
by Goran Hauser, Indira Benjak Horvat, Mirjana Rajilić-Stojanović, Irena Krznarić-Zrnić, Michail Kukla, Vedrana Aljinović-Vučić and Ivana Mikolašević
Biomedicines 2025, 13(4), 779; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13040779 - 23 Mar 2025
Viewed by 660
Abstract
Numerous factors are involved in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which are responsible for its development and progression as an independent entity, but also thanks to their simultaneous action. This is explained by the hypothesis of multiple parallel hits. These [...] Read more.
Numerous factors are involved in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which are responsible for its development and progression as an independent entity, but also thanks to their simultaneous action. This is explained by the hypothesis of multiple parallel hits. These factors are insulin resistance, lipid metabolism alteration, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammatory cytokine liberation, gut microbiota dysbiosis or gut–liver axis activation. This is a systematic review which has an aim to show the connection between intestinal microbiota and the role of its disbalance in the development of NAFLD. The gut microbiota is made from a wide spectrum of microorganisms that has a systemic impact on human health, with a well-documented role in digestion, energy metabolism, the stimulation of the immune system, synthesis of essential nutrients, etc. It has been shown that dysbiosis is associated with all three stages of chronic liver disease. Thus, the modulation of the gut microbiota has attracted research interest as a novel therapeutic approach for the management of NAFLD patients. The modification of microbiota can be achieved by substantial diet modification and the application of probiotics or prebiotics, while the most radical effects are observed by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Given the results of FMT in the context of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and NAFLD in animal models and scarce pilot studies on humans, FMT seems to be a promising treatment option that could reverse intestinal dysbiosis and thereby influence the course of NAFLD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digestive Disorders: Translation and Bridging the Gap Between Research, Diagnosis, and Treatment)
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19 pages, 2600 KiB  
Review
Microbiota and Radiotherapy: Unlocking the Potential for Improved Gastrointestinal Cancer Treatment
by Damir Vučinić, Arnela Redžović, Goran Hauser and Ivana Mikolašević
Biomedicines 2025, 13(2), 526; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13020526 - 19 Feb 2025
Viewed by 929
Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the major cornerstones in managing gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. However, several side effects, such as intestinal inflammation, mucosal injury, and dysbiosis, often compromise this. The gut microbiota increasingly attracts much interest as an essential modulator of RT effects influencing [...] Read more.
Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the major cornerstones in managing gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. However, several side effects, such as intestinal inflammation, mucosal injury, and dysbiosis, often compromise this. The gut microbiota increasingly attracts much interest as an essential modulator of RT effects influencing immune responses and tissue repair. Through short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, representatives of certain bacterial species play a crucial role under normal conditions, keeping the mucosal integrity intact and reducing oxidative stress-mediated damage. Dysbiosis, a state where diminished microbial diversity and increased pathogenic species in the microbiota are seen, amplifies RT-induced toxicity in patients. Clinical investigations highlight that microbiota-targeted interventions, including probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation, hold the means to augment RT efficacy and lessen toxicity. Increased microflora diversity and specific microbial profiles have yielded serious patient improvements. Advanced RT methods use stereotactic body radiotherapy combined with microbiota modulation as a promising technique to shield healthy tissue and maximize immune-mediated antitumor effects. Additionally, there is an implication in tumor behavior regulated by the intratumoral microbiota regarding the response to radiotherapy. Notably, the modulation of gut and tumor microbiota provides an avenue to optimize RT benefits in GI cancers, underscoring the importance of personalized therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digestive Disorders: Translation and Bridging the Gap Between Research, Diagnosis, and Treatment)
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13 pages, 459 KiB  
Review
The Relationship Between the Modulation of Intestinal Microbiota and the Response to Immunotherapy in Patients with Cancer
by Laura Radoš, Marin Golčić and Ivana Mikolašević
Biomedicines 2025, 13(1), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13010096 - 3 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1064
Abstract
The intestinal microbiota is an important part of the human body, and its composition can affect the effectiveness of immunotherapy. In the last few years, the modulation of intestinal microbiota in order to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy has become a current topic [...] Read more.
The intestinal microbiota is an important part of the human body, and its composition can affect the effectiveness of immunotherapy. In the last few years, the modulation of intestinal microbiota in order to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy has become a current topic in the scientific community, but there is a lack of research in this area. In this review, the goal was to analyze the current relevant literature related to the modulation of intestinal microbiota and the effectiveness of immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer. The effects of antibiotics, probiotics, diet, and fecal microbial transplantation were analyzed separately. It was concluded that the use of antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types or larger quantities, causes dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota, which can reduce the effectiveness of immunotherapy. While dysbiosis could be repaired by probiotics and thus improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy, the use of commercial probiotics without evidence of intestinal dysbiosis has not yet been sufficiently tested to confirm its safety for cancer for immunotherapy-treated cancer patients. A diet consisting of sufficient amounts of fiber, as well as a diet with higher salt content positively correlates with the success of immunotherapy. Fecal transplantation is a safe and realistic adjuvant option for the treatment of cancer patients with immunotherapy, but more clinical trials are necessary. Modulating the microbiota composition indeed changes the effectiveness of immunotherapy, but in the future, more human studies should be organized to precisely determine the types and procedures of microbiota modulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digestive Disorders: Translation and Bridging the Gap Between Research, Diagnosis, and Treatment)
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