title: Inhibition of bacterial translocation in obstructive jaundice by muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine in the rat.
abstract: Obstructive jaundice is frequently associated with septic complications and enteric bacteria have been isolated from both the infectious focus and bile in jaundiced patients. The present study aimed to evaluate bacterial translocation and the influence of a macrophage-stimulant (muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine) on bacterial translocation in obstructive jaundice. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sham operation (n = 10) or common bile-duct ligation and transection (n = 35). Two weeks later, jaundiced animals received either physiological saline (n = 15), muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine liposomes (n = 10) or placebo (empty) liposomes (n = 10) orally, while sham-operated rats received physiological saline, 48 h prior to evaluation of enteric bacterial translocation. Blood, bile and caecal contents were collected and cultured aerobically and anaerobically, as were tissue samples from the liver, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. Positive mesenteric lymph node cultures in animals with jaundice + saline (7/15; 47%) and jaundice + placebo liposomes (4/10; 40%) significantly differed (p < 0.05) from sham-operated animals (1/10; 10%) and muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine treated animals (0/10). Caecal counts (CFU/g) of Escherichia coli, Lactobacilli and aerobic and microaerobic bacteria did not differ statistically among the groups, although the number of E. coli tended to be higher in jaundiced animals. Thus, liposomal muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine inhibits bacterial translocation, probably by activating mucosal macrophages and enhancing reticuloendothelial system function in rats with biliary obstruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lund University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Soltesz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pärsson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bengmark
mesh_terms: D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System / Q000187:drug effects; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; C037144:mifamurtide; D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine