Involvement of lymphocytes in dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the roles of lymphocytes in the development of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.


METHODS
Using various doses of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), we induced colitis in wild-type B6 control and Rag-1 knockout (H-2b haplotype) mice, and evaluated the colitis in terms of symptomatic and histologic parameters, such as weight loss, survival, severity of diarrhea, shortage of colon length and histological changes. Symptomatic parameters were checked daily and histological changes were scored.


RESULTS
Although development of colitis in Rag-1 knockout mice treated with high dose (5%) of DSS was comparable to that in B6 control mice, colitis progression was much more tolerable in Rag-1 knockout mice compared to than in B6 mice treated with low dose (1.5%) DSS. Symptomatic parameters as well as histopathologic changes were improved in Rag-1 knockout mice.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the presence of lymphocytes contributes to colitis progression at low dose of DSS stimulation. Lymphocytes may play roles as an aggravating factor in DSS-induced colitis.
Department of Pathology, Hallym University College of Medicine, 39 Hallymdaehak-Gil, Chuncheon-Si, Gangwon-Do 200-702, Korea.
Tae Woon
TW
Kim
Jae Nam
JN
Seo
Young Ho
YH
Suh
Hyo Jin
HJ
Park
Ju Hyun
JH
Kim
Ji Young
JY
Kim
Kwon Ik
KI
Oh
D000818:Animals; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016264:Dextran Sulfate / Q000633:toxicity*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C064658:RAG-1 protein; D016264:Dextran Sulfate