Predominance of caecal injury in a new dextran sulphate sodium treatment in rats: histopathological and fermentative characteristics.
OBJECTIVE
Cyclic administrations of dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) alternating with distilled water usually induce chronic colitis after a few weeks. In order to obtain stable chronic colitis (without recovery or relapse) in a few days, a new continuous DSS treatment was tested and characterized. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which remain poorly documented in experimental colitis, were also investigated.


METHODS
Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 5% DSS for 7 days (DI) followed by 3% DSS for 7 days (DM) or 14 days (DF). Control rats received only water. Inflammatory injuries in the caecum and the colon were assessed by macroscopic (colon length, caecum weight, damages score) and histological parameters. SCFAs (acetate, propionate, butyrate) were quantified individually in caecal, proximal and distal contents.


RESULTS
Macroscopic and histological observations revealed that this continuous DSS treatment induced acute inflammation (DI) followed rapidly by chronic active colitis. The latter was uncommonly predominant in the caecum and the distal colon, and was also associated with some fermentative disturbances. Caecal SCFA concentrations decreased with DSS at DI and DM. The molar ratio of caecal butyrate increased with DSS. Acetate decreased in the colon while propionate increased.


CONCLUSIONS
This new DSS treatment is able to induce in a few days stable chronic inflammation with caecal and distal predominant injuries, and mild fermentative caeco-colonic alterations. This model could contribute to the study of potential anti-inflammatory effects of prebiotics.
Moreau
Noëlle M
NM
Unité de Nutrition et d'Endocrinologie, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Nantes, France.
Toquet
Claire S
CS
Laboisse
Christian L
CL
Nguyen
Patrick G
PG
Siliart
Brigitte S
BS
Champ
Martine M J
MM
Dumon
Henri J
HJ
Martin
Lucile J
LJ
D000818:Animals; D002429:Cecal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D002432:Cecum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016264:Dextran Sulfate / Q000633:toxicity*; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015430:Weight Gain
D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D016264:Dextran Sulfate