Rapid Communication
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 21, 2008; 14(39): 6012-6017
Published online Oct 21, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.6012
Comparison of the chloride channel activator lubiprostone and the oral laxative Polyethylene Glycol 3350 on mucosal barrier repair in ischemic-injured porcine intestine
Adam J Moeser, Prashant K Nighot, Birgit Roerig, Ryuji Ueno, Anthony T Blikslager
Adam J Moeser, Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC 27606, United States
Prashant K Nighot, Anthony T Blikslager, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC 27606, United States
Birgit Roerig, Ryuji Ueno, Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Bethesda MD 20814, United States
Author contributions: Moeser AJ and Blikslager AT wrote the paper; Moeser AJ and Nighot PK performed the research; Roerig B and Ueno R contributed new reagents and interpreted data; Moeser AJ and Blikslager AT designed the research.
Correspondence to: Dr. Anthony T Blikslager, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 4700 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh NC 27606, United States. anthony_blikslager@ncsu.edu
Telephone: +1-919-5137725 Fax: +1-919-5136336
Received: June 30, 2008
Revised: August 18, 2008
Accepted: August 25, 2008
Published online: October 21, 2008
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effects of lubiprostone and Polyethylene Glycol 3350 (PEG) on mucosal barrier repair in ischemic-injured porcine intestine.

METHODS: Ileum from 6 piglets (approximately 15 kg body weight) was subjected to ischemic conditions by occluding the local mesenteric circulation for 45 min in vivo. Ileal tissues from each pig were then harvested and mounted in Ussing chambers and bathed in oxygenated Ringer’s solution in vitro. Intestinal barrier function was assessed by measuring transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) and mucosal-to-serosal fluxes of 3H-mannitol and 14C-inulin. Statistical analyses of data collected over a 120-min time course included 2-way ANOVA for the effects of time and treatment on indices of barrier function.

RESULTS: Application of 1 μmol/L lubiprostone to the mucosal surface of ischemic-injured ileum in vitro induced significant elevations in TER compared to non-treated tissue. Lubiprostone also reduced mucosal-to-serosal fluxes of 3H-mannitol and 14C-inulin. Alternatively, application of a polyethylene laxative (PEG, 20 mmol/L) to the mucosal surface of ischemic tissues significantly increased flux of 3H-mannitol and 14C-inulin.

CONCLUSION: This experiment demonstrates that lubiprostone stimulates recovery of barrier function in ischemic intestinal tissues whereas the PEG laxative had deleterious effects on mucosal repair. These results suggest that, unlike osmotic laxatives, lubiprostone stimulates repair of the injured intestinal barrier.

Keywords: Intestinal ischemia; Barrier function; Permeability; Laxative; Polyethylene Glycol