title: Effects of octreotide on jejunal hypersensitivity triggered by Cryptosporidium parvum intestinal infection in an immunocompetent suckling rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Similar to other bacterial or protozoan infections, human cryptosporidiosis may trigger postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like symptoms, a condition in which enhanced visceral perception of pain during intestinal distension plays a pivotal role. In an immunocompetent suckling rat model which mimicks features of postinfectious IBS, Cryptosporidium parvum infection induces long-lasting jejunal hypersensitivity to distension in association with intestinal activated mast cell accumulation. The aim of the present study was to explore in this model whether octreotide, a somatostatin agonist analog, could prevent the development of jejunal hypersensitivity and intestinal mast cell/nerve fiber accumulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were infected with C. parvum and treated 10 days later with octreotide (50 g kg(-1) day(-1), i.p.) for 7 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with untreated infected rats, octreotide treatment of infected rats resulted in increased weight gain [day 23 postinfection (PI)], decreased food intake (day 16 PI), and a reduction in jejunal villus alterations (day 14 PI), CD3(+) IEL (day 37 PI) and mast cell (days 37 and 50 PI) accumulations, nerve fiber densities (day 50 PI), and hypersensitivity to distension (day 120 PI). In uninfected rats, the effects of octreotide treatment were limited to higher weight gain (days 16 and 23 PI) and decreased food intake (day 23 PI) compared with uninfected-untreated rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data confirms the relevance of the present rat model to postinfectious IBS studies and prompt further investigation of somatostatin-dependent regulatory interactions in cryptosporidiosis.
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Department, Rouen University Hospital and Institute for Biomedical Research, University of Rouen, Rouen, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khaldi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gargala
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baishanbo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: François
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ballet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ducrotté
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fioramonti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Favennec
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Le Goff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000502:physiology; D015282:Octreotide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D015282:Octreotide