title: Interferon-alpha reduces the development of experimental necrotizing enterocolitis.
abstract: Cytokines had important role in the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). The aim of this study is to investigate if IFN-alpha has a prophylaxic effect on experimental NEC development in newborn rat pups. Twenty eight Wistar Albino newborn rat pups were divided into three groups. Control group rats were breast-fed, NEC group and interferon (IFN) group rat pups were hand-fed with premature newborn formula. IFN-alpha was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 50,000 IU/rat/day in IFN group. NEC was induced experimentally by cold stress twice a day in IFN and NEC groups. On the fourth day, the rats were killed, and all the intestine were removed to determine the tissue level of malonaldehyde (MDA) and histologic changes. The microscopic lesions in the NEC group rats were virtually the same as those seen in neonatal NEC, with severe separation of submucosa and/or lamina propria, loss of villi and in some cases necrosis to extention the muscularis. In contrast, in the rats treated with IFN, lesions were moderate separation of submucosa and/or lamina propria, edema in submucosal and muscular layers. Intestinal injury score and MDA levels in NEC group were significantly higher than in the IFN group (P<0.05). In conclusion it was suggested that IFN-alpha was effective in reducing the severity of NEC in rat pups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, Inonu University, Faculty of Medicine, 44069 Malatya, Turkey. suguralp@inonu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uguralp
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mizrak
authors.forename: Aysun Bay
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Karabulut
authors.forename: Necla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gürbüz
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demircan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha