[Effect of actovegin on intestinal mucosa and expression of bcl-2/bax genes in rats with acute radiation enteritis].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of actovegin (Nycomed, deproteinized hemoderivative of calf blood injection) on intestinal mucosa in rats with acute radiation enteritis, and observe the changes of expression of apoptosis-related bcl-2/bax genes.


METHODS
An abdominal irradiation in a dose of 9.0 Gy X-ray of linear accelerator was performed once on a group of Wistar rats to establish a model of acute intestinal radiation enteritis. The experimental rats were randomly divided into five groups. Group 1 was normal control group; group 2 was model control group; groups 3, 4 and 5 were treated with low, middle and high dose of actovegin, respectively. After the model was established, actovegin injection was given intraperitoneally for successive 4 days. Corresponding intestinal tissues were taken for morphological examination with an image analysis system. The expression of apoptosis related bax and bcl-2 protein in the intestinal mucosal epithelial cells was determined by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
The groups 4 and 5 had significantly higher height of intestinal villi, the depth of crypt, the thickness of the mucosa and entire wall (254.66/261.71 microm, 166.47/165.41 microm, 510.44/511.71 microm, 610.38/608.98 microm), compared with those of the model control group (239.12 microm, 151.45 microm, 420.27 microm and 579.32 microm), respectively (P < 0.05). Treatment with middle and high doses of actovegin also significantly down-regulated the expression of activating apoptosis protein bax (24.54/23.24) compared with that of model control group (59.32) (P < 0.05) and up-regulated the expression of inhibiting apoptosis protein bcl-2 (55.54/52.21) compared with that of model control group (20.32) (P < 0.05). The ratio of bcl-2/bax was significantly higher in the groups 4 and 5 (2.2632, 2.1275) compared with that in the model control group (0.3425) (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Actovegin accelerates the recovery of the acute radiation-injured intestinal mucosal epithelium by decreasing apoptosis via down-regulation of the expression of activating apoptosis protein bax and up-regulation of inhibiting apoptosis protein bcl-2.
Wang
Xing-wen
XW
Tumor center, Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
Lin
Xiao-yan
XY
Bi
Ying-hui
YH
Han
Jun-qing
JQ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004751:Enteritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006418:Heme / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D007583:Jejunum / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D006418:Heme; C015646:Actovegin