title: Intestinal alkaline phosphatase is protective to the preterm rat pup intestine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common surgical emergency in neonates, with a mortality rate between 10 and 50%. The onset of necrotizing enterocolitis is highly variable and associated with numerous risk factors. Prior research has shown that enteral supplementation with intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) decreases the severity of NEC. The aim of this study is to investigate whether IAP is protective to the preterm intestine in the presence of formula feeding and in the absence of NEC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preterm rat pups were fed formula with or without supplementation with IAP, and intestine was obtained on day of life 3 for analysis of IAP activity, mRNA expression of TNFα, IL-6 and iNOS and permeability and cytokine expression after LPS exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in the absolute and intestine specific alkaline phosphatase activity in both groups. Rat pups fed IAP had decreased mRNA expression of the inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-6 and iNOS. Pups supplemented with IAP had decreased permeability and inflammatory cytokine expression after exposure to LPS ex vivo when compared to formula fed controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support that IAP is beneficial to preterm intestine and decreases intestinal injury and inflammation caused by LPS.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Heinzerling
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA; Division of Critical Care, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Liedel
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Scott R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Welak
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fredrich
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Ben E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Biesterveld
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Kirkwood A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Pritchard
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Children's Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. Electronic address: dgourlay@chw.org.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Gourlay
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase
keywords: Intestinal alkaline phosphatase; Lipopolysaccharide; Necrotizing enterocolitis; Toll like receptor 4