cholecystokinin and Bacterial-Infections

The aims of this study were: 1) to obtain an experimental model reproducing the characteristics of chronicity and spontaneous relapses found in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and 2) to correlate these changes with intestinal motility and bacteria translocation. For this purpose, two groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were used: a treated group that received two subcutaneous injections of indomethacin (7.5 mg/kg) 48 h apart and a control group that received saline. Blood leukocytes, TNF, and fecal parameters were monitored for 90 days after treatment. In treated rats, a cyclic oscillation of blood leukocytes and TNF concomitant with an inverse correlation of fecal output was observed. Treated rats were then selected either during their highest or lowest blood leukocyte values for motor activity and microbiological evaluation. Controls were obtained in age-matched rats. Rats with high leukocyte levels showed a decrease of motor activity. In contrast, animals with low leukocyte levels presented hypermotility. Bacterial overgrowth accompanied by bacterial translocation was found in the group with high leukocytes, whereas no differences were observed between the control and indomethacin groups during the lowest leukocyte phase. We obtained a model of IBD characterized by a chronic cyclic oscillation of intestinal motility, flora, and inflammatory blood parameters. During the high-leukocyte stage, motor activity decrease is related to bacterial translocation. This phase is followed by a reactive one characterized by hypermotility associated with a decrease in both bacterial growth and leukocytes. However, as in IBD, this reaction seems unable to prevent a return to relapse.

Topics: Acute Disease; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Bacterial Translocation; Cholecystokinin; Chronic Disease; Enteritis; Enzyme Inhibitors; Gastrointestinal Motility; Indomethacin; Injections, Subcutaneous; Intestinal Diseases; Leukocyte Count; Male; Nitroarginine; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

The effect of bombesin (BBS) in modulating the secretion of specific Aeromonas antibodies in rat intestine was determined. Rats were immunized with the culture supernatant of Aeromonas hydrophila, isolate SSU. This culture supernatant contained a number of toxins that may be considered virulence factors. After 24 days of immunization, rats were anesthetized and a 10-cm intestinal segment was perfused with phosphate-buffered saline. The effluents were collected for measurement of IgA and IgG by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. When compared with the effect of intravenous administration of normal saline in the control group, intravenous injection of BBS (20 micrograms/kg) in the experimental group caused a significant increase in rat intestinal IgA and IgG in perfusates. The stimulatory effects of BBS on the presence of IgA and IgG were depressed partially by proglumide, a receptor antagonist of cholecystokinin (CCK) and gastrin. Treatment with pentagastrin (250 micrograms/kg) accelerated intestinal secretion of IgA, but failed to stimulate intestinal IgG secretion. In addition, intravenous injection of CCK-8 (120 ng/kg) evoked the intestinal secretion of either IgA or IgG. These findings demonstrated that BBS, gastrin, and CCK can stimulate antibody secretion in rat intestine and the stimulatory effect of BBS may be mediated partially via release of CCK and gastrin. These results suggest that neuropeptides such as BBS and gastrointestinal hormones, eg, CCK and gastrin, may participate in the regulation of intestinal secretion of IgA and IgG antibodies, respectively, in rats.

Topics: Aeromonas; Animals; Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; Antibodies, Bacterial; Bacterial Infections; Bombesin; Cholecystokinin; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Gastrins; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin G; Intestinal Mucosa; Intestines; Male; Pentagastrin; Proglumide; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Sincalide