Article Text
Abstract
Background and aims: In liver cirrhosis, disruption of the intestinal barrier facilitates bacterial translocation and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is an anabolic hormone synthesised by hepatocytes that displays hepatoprotective activities and trophic effects on the intestine. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of IGF-I on intestinal barrier function in cirrhotic rats.
Methods: In rats with carbon tetrachloride induced cirrhosis, we investigated the effect of IGF-I therapy on: (a) portal pressure; (b) intestinal histology and permeability to endotoxin and bacteria; (c) intestinal expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), two factors that influence in a positive and negative manner, respectively, the integrity of the intestinal barrier; (d) intestinal permeability to 3H-mannitol in rats with bile duct ligation (BDL); and (e) transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) of polarised monolayers of rat small intestine epithelial cells.
Results: IGF-I therapy reduced liver collagen expression and portal pressure in cirrhotic rats, induced improvement in intestinal histology, and caused a reduction in bacterial translocation and endotoxaemia. These changes were associated with diminished TNF-α expression and elevated COX-2 levels in the intestine. IGF-I reduced intestinal permeability in BDL rats and enhanced barrier function of the monolayers of epithelial intestinal cells where lipopolysaccharide (LPS) caused a decrease in TER that was reversed by IGF-I. This effect of IGF-I was associated with upregulation of COX-2 in LPS treated enterocytes.
Conclusions: IGF-I enhances intestinal barrier function and reduces endotoxaemia and bacterial translocation in cirrhotic rats. IGF-I therapy might be useful in the prevention of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in liver cirrhosis.
- BDL, bile duct ligation
- Colα1, procollagen α1(I)
- GH, growth hormone
- IBF, intestinal barrier function
- IGF-I, insulin-like growth factor type I
- PHE, portal hypertensive enteropathy
- SBP, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
- TER, transepithelial electrical resistance
- COX-2, cyclooxygenase 2
- TNF-α, tumour necrosis factor α
- LPS, lipopolysaccharide
- CCl4, carbon tetrachloride
- DMEM, Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium
- FBS, fetal bovine serum
- RT-PCR, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction
- bacterial peritonitis
- hepatic fibrosis
- intestinal barrier
- rats
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