Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 14, 2011; 17(14): 1903-1909
Published online Apr 14, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i14.1903
Salvianolate inhibits cytokine gene expression in small intestine of cirrhotic rats
Dan-Hong Yang, Zai-Yuan Ye, Bo Jin, Xu-Jun He, Qin Zhang, Wei-Ming Zhou, Wen-Juan Xu, Huo-Xiang Lu
Dan-Hong Yang, Department of Infection, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang Province, China
Zai-Yuan Ye, Department of Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang Province, China
Bo Jin, Department of Molecular Biology, Zhejiang Traditional University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang Province, China
Xu-Jun He, Wen-Juan Xu, Huo-Xiang Lu, Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Pathology , Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang Province, China
Qin Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
Wei-Ming Zhou, Department of Animal Care, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Yang DH designed the study, carried out the data interpretation and statistical analysis and drafted the manuscript; Ye ZY contributed equally to the study conception and design, data interpretation and manuscript preparation; Jin B performed the analysis of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA; He XJ and Zhang Q provided the vital reagents and analytical tools; Zhou WM, Xu WJ and Lu HX established the model of cirrhotic rats and completed the HE straining of intestinal mucosa and measurement of serum endotoxin.
Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Medical College 2009XZB06
Correspondence to: Dr. Zai-Yuan Ye, Department of Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang Province, China. ydh-11@163.com
Telephone: +86-571-85793819 Fax: +86-571-85131448
Received: October 22, 2010
Revised: January 18, 2011
Accepted: January 25, 2011
Published online: April 14, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To study the effect of salvianolate on expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 mRNA in small intestine of cirrhotic rats.

METHODS: Cirrhosis in rats was induced using CCl4 (0.3 mL/kg). Rats were randomly divided into non-treatment group, low-dose salvianolate (12 mg/kg) treatment group, medium-dose salvianolate (24 mg/kg) treatment group, and high-dose salvianolate (48 mg/kg) treatment group, and treated for 2 wk. Another 10 healthy rats served as a normal control group. Mortality of cirrhotic rats in each group was evaluated after treatment with salvianolate. Serum samples were taken from portal vein for the detection of endotoxin. Morphological changes in tissue samples from the ileocecum were observed under a light microscope. Expression of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA in the small intestine of rats was analyzed by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS: The mortality of cirrhotic rats in the non-treatment group was 37.5%. No cirrhotic rat died in the high-dose salvianolate treatment group. The serum endotoxin level was significantly higher in the non-treatment group than in the salvianolate treatment and normal control groups. The intestinal mucosal and villous atrophy, necrosis and shedding of the intestinal mucosal epithelium, observed in the non-treatment group, were reversed in different salvianolate treatment groups. The TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA expression levels in small intestine were significantly lower in different salvianolate treatment groups than in the non-treatment group.

CONCLUSION: Salvianolate can reduce the endotoxin level, ameliorate the injury of intestinal mucosa, and inhibit the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA in small intestine of cirrhotic rats.

Keywords: Salvianolate; Cirrhosis; Endotoxin; Intestinal mucosa; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Interleukin-6