title: Growth hormone and nutrition as protective agents against methotrexate induced enteritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether exogenously administered growth hormone can reduce or prevent chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucosa injury. The expected results will allow to consider its potential clinical use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental and randomized study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental Surgery Service, La Paz University Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g.
  
  
  METHODS
  A chemotherapy protocol with methotrexate (MTX) (120 mg/kg) was employed. Animals fed either with a normoproteic or a hyperproteic liquid diet were treated with either saline or growth hormone (1 mg/kg/day) since three days before until four days after chemotherapy. Animals were sacrificed seven days after MTX administration for tissue sampling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Co-administration of growth hormone and a hyperproteic diet increased intestinal crypt proliferation and reduced MTX-induced apoptosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Jejunal mucosal structure (morphometry), proliferation (Ki-67) and apoptosis (TUNNEL) were assessed.
authors.affiliation: Service of Experimental Surgery, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: de Segura
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Miguel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000633:toxicity*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D004032:Diet; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004751:Enteritis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D013006:Growth Hormone; D008727:Methotrexate