Nigel Meadows

Mutations in a Sar1 GTPase of COPII vesicles are associated with lipid absorption disorders.

Dietary fat is an important source of nutrition. Here we identify eight mutations in SARA2 that are associated with three severe disorders of fat malabsorption. The Sar1 family of proteins initiates the intracellular transport of proteins in COPII (coat protein)-coated vesicles. Our data suggest that chylomicrons, which vastly exceed the size of typical COPII vesicles, are selectively recruited by the COPII machinery for transport through the secretory pathways of the cell.

Treatment of orofacial and ileo-colonic Crohn's disease with total enteral nutrition

The oral manifestations of Crohns disease have been known to precede, occur simultaneously with, or follow changes in the rest of the alimentary tractl and are not related to severity or extent of the disease. Hence, it is important to investigate patients with chronic mouth lesions for gastrointestinal disease2. We report the case of a child with orofacial Crohns disease whose debilitating lesions responded well to treatment with total polymeric feeds.