Ameliorative effects of bombesin and neurotensin on trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid-induced colitis, oxidative damage and apoptosis in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of bombesin (BBS) and neurotensin (NTS) on apoptosis and colitis in an ulcerative colitis model.


METHODS
In this study, a total of 50 rats were divided equally into 5 groups. In the control group, no colitis induction or drug administration was performed. Colitis was induced in all other groups. Following the induction of colitis, BBS, NTS or both were applied to three groups of rats. The remaining group (colitis group) received no treatment. On the 11th d after induction of colitis and drug treatment, blood samples were collected for TNF-alpha and IL-6 level studies. Malondialdehyde (MDA), carbonyl, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and caspase-3 activities, as well as histopathological findings, evaluated in colonic tissues.


RESULTS
According to the macroscopic and microscopic findings, the study groups treated with BBS, NTS and BBS + NTS showed significantly lower damage and inflammation compared with the colitis group (macroscopic score, 2.1 +/- 0.87, 3.7 +/- 0.94 and 2.1 +/- 0.87 vs 7.3 +/- 0.94; microscopic score, 2.0 +/- 0.66, 3.3 +/- 0.82 and 1.8 +/- 0.63 vs 5.2 +/- 0.78, P < 0.01). TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels were increased significantly in all groups compared with the control group. These increases were significantly smaller in the BBS, NTS and BBS + NTS groups compared with the colitis group (TNF-alpha levels, 169.69 +/- 53.56, 245.86 +/- 64.85 and 175.54 +/- 42.19 vs 556.44 +/- 49.82; IL-6 levels, 443.30 +/- 53.99, 612.80 +/- 70.39 and 396.80 +/- 78.43 vs 1505.90 +/- 222.23, P < 0.05). The colonic MPO and MDA levels were significantly lower in control, BBS, NTS and BBS + NTS groups than in the colitis group (MPO levels, 24.36 +/- 8.10, 40.51 +/- 8.67 and 25.83 +/- 6.43 vs 161.47 +/- 38.24; MDA levels, 4.70 +/- 1.41, 6.55 +/- 1.12 and 4.51 +/- 0.54 vs 15.60 +/- 1.88, P < 0.05). Carbonyl content and caspase-3 levels were higher in the colitis and NTS groups than in control, BBS and BBS + NTS groups (carbonyl levels, 553.99 +/- 59.58 and 336.26 +/- 35.72 vs 209.76 +/- 30.92, 219.76 +/- 25.77 and 220.34 +/- 36.95; caspase-3 levels, 451.70 +/- 68.27 and 216.20 +/- 28.17 vs 28.60 +/- 6.46, 170.50 +/- 32.37 and 166.50 +/- 30.95, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest BBS and NTS, through their anti-inflammatory actions, support the maintenance of colonic integrity and merit consideration as potential agents for ameliorating colonic inflammation.
Akcan
Alper
A
Department of General Surgery, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri 38039, Turkey. acakcan2002@yahoo.com
Muhtaroglu
Sebahattin
S
Akgun
Hulya
H
Akyildiz
Hizir
H
Kucuk
Can
C
Sozuer
Erdogan
E
Yurci
Alper
A
Yilmaz
Namik
N
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001839:Bombesin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009496:Neurotensin; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid; D009195:Peroxidase; D053148:Caspase 3; D001839:Bombesin