Day 1 :
Keynote Forum
Nathalie Rivard
Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
Keynote: Epithelial SHP-2 protects the intestinal mucosa against colitis and colorectal cancer
Time : 08:20-09:00
Biography:
Nathalie Rivard received her PhD from Université de Sherbrooke in 1994 and completed a 3.5 year Post-doctorate at the Centre de Biochimie-CNRS, Université de Nice, France with Dr. J Pouysségur in 1997. Then, she accepted a faculty position in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la santé de l’Université de Sherbrooke. Since 2008, she is the Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Chair of the Cancer Axis at Université de Sherbrooke. Her research focuses on the analysis of signaling pathways that control proliferation, differentiation, tumorigenesis and inflammatory response of intestinal epithelial cells. She has published more than 80 papers in reputed journals. She is the recipient of 2013 Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Research Excellence Award and holds a Canada Research Chair.
Abstract:
SHP-2 is a Src homology 2 containing protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) expressed in most embryonic and adult tissues. SHP-2 regulates many cellular functions including growth, differentiation, innate immune response, chemotaxis and survival. Genetic and biochemical evidence demonstrate that SHP-2 can regulate major signalling pathways including the RAS/MAPK, PI3K/Akt and JAK/STAT pathways. Interestingly, variations within the human gene locus encoding SHP-2 have been associated with increased susceptibility to develop ulcerative colitis. We thus, analyzed the role of SHP-2 in the intestine by first generating mice with an intestinal epithelial cell (IEC)-specific deletion of SHP-2 expression (SHP-2IEC-KO mice). Interestingly, these mice rapidly developed inflammation one month after birth, with clinical and histopathological features similar to ulcerative colitis. Alterations in Goblet/Paneth cell ratio were observed two weeks after birth, before the onset of inflammation and were associated with significant alterations in microbiota composition. With age, SHP-2IEC-KO mice developed colitis-associated adenocarcinomas. To further analyze the protective role of SHP-2 in the intestinal epithelium, we also generated mice expressing a constitutive active form of SHP-2 specifically in IECs (SHP-2IEC-E76K mice). These mice were either challenged with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to induce chemical colitis or with Citrobacter rodentium to induce infectious colitis. Results showed that SHP-2IEC-E76K mice were resistant to DSS treatment or C. rodentium infection. Thus, SHP-2 activation exerts protective actions against mucosal damage and during infection with an A/E (attaching and effacing) bacterial pathogen. Finally, we found reduced SHP-2 expression in intestinal biopsies from patients with active colitis, emphasizing the inverse relationship between SHP-2 expression and colonic inflammatory phenotype. Overall, our results indicate that SHP-2 maintains barrier function in the colon and thereby, helps to prevent spontaneous microbiota-driven inflammation and colitis-associated cancer development.
Keynote Forum
Moh’d Amin El-Gohary
The International Bariatric Club, United Kingdom
Keynote: Gohary’s disease
Time : 9:15-10:00
Biography:
Amin El-Gohary completed his MBBCh in 1972 and his Diploma in General Surgery in 1975 at Cairo University, Egypt. He became a Fellow of The Royal College of Surgeons in UK: Edinburgh in 1979, London in 1980 and Glasgow in 1997. He worked initially in Egypt, then moved to Kuwait, then to UK, before coming to UAE in 1983. In the same year, he became the Chief and Head of the Department of Pediatric Surgery of a large government hospital. Additionally, he held post as a Medical Director for the same hospital starting 1989. He was appointed as Chief Disaster Officer during Gulf War in 1991. He also held post as the Clinical Dean of Gulf Medical College, Ajman for 3 years. He is well known in Abu Dhabi for his extensive interest and involvement in scientific activities. He is the President of the Pediatric Surgical Association of UAE. He was awarded the Shield of the College of Pakistan in 1996 and the Medal of International Recognition in pediatric urology from the Russian Association of Andrology in 2010. He was given a Silver Medal from the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland in 1978 and an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons, Glasgow in 1997. In 2001, he became a Visiting Professor at Munster University, Germany. He is member of several associations in pediatric surgery: Executive Member of the International Society of Intersex and Hypospadias Disorder (ISHID), British Association of Pediatric Surgery, Egyptian Association of Pediatric Surgeons, Asian Association of Pediatric Surgeons and Pan African Association of Pediatric Surgery. He is also the Founder and Member of The Arab Association of Pediatric Surgeons. He has an intensive academic and teaching experience, has written several publications in distinguished medical journals, and has made several poster and paper presentations in national and international conferences. Currently, he is an External Examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons.
Abstract:
Gohary’s disease is a new phenomenon that has not been described before. It depicts a group of children, who present to emergency department, with severe agonizing abdominal pain. The pain tends to start and ends abruptly, without predisposing factor and recurs after minutes or hours. Ultrasonography revealed a mesas at right iliac fossa, which is usually diagnosed as intussusception. The underlying cause of such phenomenon is the fecal impaction of stool at terminal ileum which act as intermittent intestinal obstruction. We have encountered 19 cases over the last 5 years, their age varied from 9 months to 8 years with the majority under the age of 2 years. The cadinal symptoms and signs include severe abdominal pain that warrants urgent attention, empty rectum on examination and ultrasound diagnosis of intussusception. All of these cases were managed by fleet enemas with immediate response. Awareness of this condition will help to avoid unnecessary investigation and unjustified exploration.