title: IL-6, TNF-α, and iNOS is associated with decreased colonic contraction in rats with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrointestinal stasis is frequently accompanied by multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), which may lead to gastrointestinal smooth muscle dysfunction. The aim of this study is to investigate whether MODS initiates an inflammatory response and produces IL-6, TNF-α, and iNOS cytokines, as well as to determine whether these cytokines give rise to gastrointestinal smooth muscle dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty Wistar rats were divided equally into a negative control group, a positive control group, and a MODS group. The number of stool spots, the contractility of muscle strips in the colon, and morphologic changes to the colon smooth muscle were recorded. The mRNA and protein expressions of IL-6, TNF-α, and iNOS in the colon were detected by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry respectively. In addition, the NO level was observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the MODS group, the colon stool numbers, maximal contractive stress, and spontaneous frequency of muscle strips were, respectively, 0.77 ± 0.52 pill/h, 301g/cm(3), and 11.52 ± 0.38 contractions/min (P < 0.05); for the negative control group, 1.54 ± 0.64 pills/h, 645 g/cm(3), and 19.2 ± 0.71 contractions/min, respectively (P < 0.05); and for the positive control group, 0.94 ± 0.21 pills/h, 415 g/cm(3), and 14.1 ± 0.52 contractions/min, respectively (P < 0.05). In the MODS group, there was a marked up-regulation of expression of IL-6, TNF-α, and iNOS and the contractility of the smooth muscle strips had a negative correlation with the expression of IL-6, TNF-α, and iNOS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We speculate that reduced colon motility in the MODS rats may be related to the increase in iNOS, IL-6, and TNF-α in the colon muscularis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Ang
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Junjie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Zheyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000503:physiopathology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000503:physiopathology; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat