Effect of methylprednisolone on small bowel spleen and liver changes in a murine model of inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of methylprednisolone (1 mg/kg, i.p.) on inflammatory lesions in the small bowel, liver (pericholangitis) and spleen (lymphofollicular proliferation), in a model of inflammatory bowel disease induced by 2,4dinitrofluorobenzene in previously sensitized BALB-c mice. As a parameter of corticosteroid antiinflammatory and immunosuppressive action, we simultaneously investigated its effects on mononuclear cell accumulation within the ileal lamina propria and submucosa during the observed time period (1-30 days). We noted a significant decrease in accumulation of mononuclear cells within the lamina propria (P c 0.001). An effect on mononuclear cell infiltration within the ileal submucosa was also noted but was not statistically significant. In addition, pericholangitis in the liver and lymphofollicular proliferation in the spleen were not observed in the experimental group during treatment with methylprednisolone. The results of this study indicate that the previously described model of intestinal inflammation could be used in further research of present and new therapeutic modalities for inflammatory bowel disease.Correspondence to: Dr M. BaniC. Siget 18a. 41000 Zagreb. Republic o/ Croatia.

Effect of Azithromycin on Acute Inflammatory Lesions and Colonic Bacterial Load in a Murine Model of Experimental Colitis

“…1 and 2). The observed significant effect of MP in reducing the extent of histologic inflammatory score was concordant with results of previously published studies in regard to the effect of MP in this particular model of experimental colitis [8,9] (Figs. 3 and 4).…”

“…In addition, the effect of azithromycin on acute colonic injury in this model was not dependent on time of its application, before or after the challenge enema. Its anti-inflammatory effect did not differ significantly from the effect of methylprednisolone, which was previously shown to be effective in this particular model of intestinal inflammation [8,9]. Azithromycin represents an azalide antibiotic, a macrolide derivative of natural erythromycin containing nitrogen in macrocyclic lactone ring [23].…”

“…In mice, as well as in rats, hapten-induced colitis (including DNFB-induced experimental colitis) appears to be a classic delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response with characteristic pattern of provoked colonic injury and availability of a quantitative scoring system of pathology [8,9,[18][19][20]. Thus, DNFB-induced colitis in rodents represents a simple, inexpensive, reasonably reproducible, well-defined system that allows study of possible pathogenetic mechanisms involving T-regulatory cells and study of the documented anti-inflammatory effect of corticosteroids and cyclosporine in this particular model of Th-1-driven intestinal inflammation [13,20].…”

“…Mean score was practically identical to the median for each group of animals. Results were considered significant at P \ 0.05 for clinical assessment and P \ 0.01 for histologic findings [9,17].…”

“…Experimental colitis was induced in all the animals by receiving the challenge enema of 0.025 ml 0.2% DNFB solution in acetone and olive oil. Enemas were administered under light ether anesthesia, and using a 4-cm plastic catheter with outer diameter of 0.9 mm, attached to a glass syringe, as previously described [8,9].…”