Melatonin reduces bacterial translocation and apoptosis in trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid-induced colitis of rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of exogenous melatonin on bacterial translocation and apoptosis in a rat ulcerative colitis model.


METHODS
Rats were randomly assigned to three groups: group I: control, group II: experimental colitis, group III: colitis plus melatonin treatment. On d 11 after colitis, plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha, portal blood endotoxin levels, colon tissue myeloperoxidase and caspase-3 activity were measured. Bacterial translocation was quantified by blood, lymph node, liver and spleen culture.


RESULTS
We observed a significantly reduced incidence of bacterial translocation to the liver, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, portal and systemic blood in animals treated with melatonin. Treatment with melatonin significantly decreased the caspase-3 activity in colonic tissues compared to that in trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid- treated rats (16.11 +/- 2.46 vs 32.97 +/- 3.91, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Melatonin has a protective effect on bacterial translocation and apoptosis.
Akcan
Alper
A
Department of General Surgery, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri 38039, Turkey. acakcan2002@yahoo.com
Kucuk
Can
C
Sozuer
Erdogan
E
Esel
Duygu
D
Akyildiz
Hizir
H
Akgun
Hulya
H
Muhtaroglu
Sabahattin
S
Aritas
Yucel
Y
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D018988:Bacterial Translocation / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D004731:Endotoxins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid; D009195:Peroxidase; D053148:Caspase 3; D008550:Melatonin