title: Elemental diet moderates 5-fluorouracil-induced gastrointestinal mucositis through mucus barrier alteration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There are reports that elemental diet (ED) ameliorates oral mucositis caused by antineoplastic chemotherapy. Although this effectiveness may be partly due to high nutrient absorption, the effects of chemotherapy on mucosal defense mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated the effects of oral supplementation with ED on mucin in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced intestinal mucositis.
  
  
  METHODS
  5-FU was administered to rats orally once daily, and ED was supplied orally twice daily for 5 days. The severity of mucositis was assessed by length, dry tissue weight, and villus height of the intestinal tract. Using anti-mucin monoclonal antibody, we compared the immunoreactivity in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and mucin content by histological and biochemical examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oral supplementation with ED reduced histological damage and loss of length, dry tissue weight, and villus height induced by 5-FU administration. ED markedly altered PGM34 antibody immunoreactivity and mucin contents in the small intestine of rats with 5-FU-induced mucositis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ED may possibly be more effective for the prevention of antineoplastic chemotherapy-induced mucositis through the activation of GI mucus cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Regulation Biochemistry, Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamahara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan.
authors.forename: Rei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Tatsunori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Wasaburo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005526:Food, Formulated; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D052016:Mucositis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism*; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005472:Fluorouracil