Reviewer's report 
 Jejunal microvilli atrophy and reduced nutrient transport in rats with abvanced liver cirrhosis: Title: 
improvement by Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) 
 3  29 February 2004 Version: Date: 
 peter L jansen Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
The Pamplona group have been emphasizing the role of IGF-1 in cirrhosis-induced jejunal atrophy now for a number of years. In the paper by Pascual et al AJP 2000;279:G319-324 they showed a decreased transport of l-leucine, l-proline, l-glutamic acid and l-cysteine across the brush border of 
BBMVs prepared from CCl4-cirrhotic rats. IGF-1 treatment restored the impaired transport activity. 
They showed that the Vmax of this transport was reduced and the Kt increased for all amino acids tested. In their report in the AJP 1999;276:g37-G42 they showed an impaired transport of galactose in this 
model, IGF-1 restored galactose transport and normalized the elongated jejunal microvilli. 
In the current report they show a reduced d-galactose, l-leucine, l-proline, l-glutamic acid and l-cystine transport in CCl4-cirrhotic rats. The reduced transport was restored to normal by IGF-1. 
Vmax is reduced and Kt increased. Elongated microvilli and microvillous atrophy was normalized by 
IGF-1 treatment. 
What is new in the manuscript? I fail to see any new information over and above that already 
published in their 1999 and 2000 AJP papers. Moreover, this manuscript does not provide us with 
new insights. For example one wonders about the correlation between the microvillous abnormalities 
and decreased transport. Unfortunately this manuscript does not enlighten us about this. What is the 
cause of elongation and atrophy? There is no answer to this question either. 
Minor comments 
Figure 1A. The curves lack initial data points. Figures 1 and 2. What is the significance of data points beyond 60 s (galatcose) and 180s (amino acids)? 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the 
author can be trusted to correct) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Reject because too small an advance to publish in any journal What next?: 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
None 
Reviewer's report 
 Jejunal microvilli atrophy and reduced nutrient transport in rats with abvanced liver cirrhosis: Title: 
improvement by Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) 
 3  29 February 2004 Version: Date: 
 peter L jansen Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
The Pamplona group have been emphasizing the role of IGF-1 in cirrhosis-induced jejunal atrophy now for a number of years. In the paper by Pascual et al AJP 2000;279:G319-324 they showed a decreased transport of l-leucine, l-proline, l-glutamic acid and l-cysteine across the brush border of 
BBMVs prepared from CCl4-cirrhotic rats. IGF-1 treatment restored the impaired transport activity. 
They showed that the Vmax of this transport was reduced and the Kt increased for all amino acids tested. In their report in the AJP 1999;276:g37-G42 they showed an impaired transport of galactose in this 
model, IGF-1 restored galactose transport and normalized the elongated jejunal microvilli. 
In the current report they show a reduced d-galactose, l-leucine, l-proline, l-glutamic acid and l-cystine transport in CCl4-cirrhotic rats. The reduced transport was restored to normal by IGF-1. 
Vmax is reduced and Kt increased. Elongated microvilli and microvillous atrophy was normalized by 
IGF-1 treatment. 
What is new in the manuscript? I fail to see any new information over and above that already 
published in their 1999 and 2000 AJP papers. Moreover, this manuscript does not provide us with 
new insights. For example one wonders about the correlation between the microvillous abnormalities 
and decreased transport. Unfortunately this manuscript does not enlighten us about this. What is the 
cause of elongation and atrophy? There is no answer to this question either. 
Minor comments 
Figure 1A. The curves lack initial data points. Figures 1 and 2. What is the significance of data points beyond 60 s (galatcose) and 180s (amino acids)? 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the 
author can be trusted to correct) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Reject because too small an advance to publish in any journal What next?: 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
None 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 Jejunal microvilli atrophy and reduced nutrient transport in rats with abvanced liver cirrhosis: Title: 
improvement by Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) 
 3  29 February 2004 Version: Date: 
 peter L jansen Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
The Pamplona group have been emphasizing the role of IGF-1 in cirrhosis-induced jejunal atrophy now for a number of years. In the paper by Pascual et al AJP 2000;279:G319-324 they showed a decreased transport of l-leucine, l-proline, l-glutamic acid and l-cysteine across the brush border of 
BBMVs prepared from CCl4-cirrhotic rats. IGF-1 treatment restored the impaired transport activity. 
They showed that the Vmax of this transport was reduced and the Kt increased for all amino acids tested. In their report in the AJP 1999;276:g37-G42 they showed an impaired transport of galactose in this 
model, IGF-1 restored galactose transport and normalized the elongated jejunal microvilli. 
In the current report they show a reduced d-galactose, l-leucine, l-proline, l-glutamic acid and l-cystine transport in CCl4-cirrhotic rats. The reduced transport was restored to normal by IGF-1. 
Vmax is reduced and Kt increased. Elongated microvilli and microvillous atrophy was normalized by 
IGF-1 treatment. 
What is new in the manuscript? I fail to see any new information over and above that already 
published in their 1999 and 2000 AJP papers. Moreover, this manuscript does not provide us with 
new insights. For example one wonders about the correlation between the microvillous abnormalities 
and decreased transport. Unfortunately this manuscript does not enlighten us about this. What is the 
cause of elongation and atrophy? There is no answer to this question either. 
Minor comments 
Figure 1A. The curves lack initial data points. Figures 1 and 2. What is the significance of data points beyond 60 s (galatcose) and 180s (amino acids)? 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the 
author can be trusted to correct) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Reject because too small an advance to publish in any journal What next?: 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
None 
assistant