Long-term omeprazole treatment suppresses body weight gain and bone mineralization in young male rats.
BACKGROUND
The stomach is rich in endocrine cells, including those producing ghrelin, which is thought to play a role in the control of body growth. Omeprazole treatment is associated with hypergastrinaemia, resulting in growth of the oxyntic mucosa in general and the enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells in particular. In the present study, we examined the effects of long-term omeprazole treatment on young male rats with respect to body growth and stomach.


METHODS
Male rats (24 days old) were treated with omeprazole (400 micromol/kg/day) or vehicle for 77 days. The body weight was recorded twice per week. At sacrifice, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to assess total bone area, bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition (fat and lean body mass). The lengths of the spine and the femur were recorded. The plasma concentrations of gastrin and histamine were determined by radioimmunoassays. The endocrine cells of the stomach were examined by immunocytochemistry.


RESULTS
The body weight gain was suppressed by omeprazole treatment. The bone area, BMC and BMD were reduced, while the lengths of the spine and the femur and the body composition were unchanged. Omeprazole-induced hypergastrinaemia was associated with enlargement of the oxyntic area and with hyperplasia of ECL cells but not of A-like cells and D cells. In contrast, the enterchromaffin (EC) cell density in the antrum was reduced.


CONCLUSIONS
Omeprazole treatment of young male rats reduces body weight and bone mass gain. The densities of ECL cells in the oxyntic mucosa was increased and of the EC cells in the antral mucosa reduced.
Cui
G L
GL
Dept. of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim.
Syversen
U
U
Zhao
C M
CM
Chen
D
D
Waldum
H L
HL
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000139:chemically induced; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D019861:Enterochromaffin-like Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005755:Gastrins / Q000032:analysis; D054439:Ghrelin; D008297:Male; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000009:adverse effects*; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005755:Gastrins; D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D010455:Peptides; D009853:Omeprazole