The role of serotonin in ethanol-induced gastric glandular damage in rats

Serotonin-Containing Cells in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Newborn Foals and Adult Horses

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), a regulatory amine of mucosal enterochromaffin cells plays an important role in the control of gastrointestinal smooth muscle contraction and epithelial secretion. Serotonin has also been associated with gastric ulcers, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. In spite of the high incidence of these gastrointestinal disorders in newborn foals and adult horses, no data are available regarding 5-HT immunoreactive cells (i.c.) in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of foals, and for adult horses, data are incomplete and contradictory. In this study, the distribution and relative frequency of 5-HT i.c. in the GIT of newborn foals and adult horses were determined immunohistochemically. In foals as in adults, a relatively large number of 5-HT i.c. were detected in all portions of the GIT. In foals, a significantly higher amount of cells was found in the pyloric region and margo plicatus of the stomach, as well as in the caecum and colon ascendens compared with adults. Our results provided rationale for further research concerning the role of 5-HT i.c. during the milk diet or in the regulation of gastrointestinal growth/cell proliferation, and in the pathogenesis of gastric ulcers, especially in newborn foals.

Relationship between melatonin levels in plasma and gastrointestinal tissues and the incidence and severity of gastric ulcers in pigs

Four weeks of administration of melatonin mixed in the diet (5 mg/kg of food) significantly reduced the incidence of gastric ulcers in young pigs. In control and melatonin supplemented animals, significantly higher levels of melatonin were found in the stomach tissues as compared to jejunum, ileum, or colon. Pigs with the most severe ulcers exhibited significantly lower concentrations of melatonin in their stomach tissue and the blood plasma. Pigs fed coarsely ground diet exhibited higher tissue levels of melatonin in the stomach than animals fed a finely ground diet. Coarse diet was also associated with a lower score of gastric ulcers. No relationship between tissue levels of melatonin and the severity of gastric ulcers was found in other segments of the gastrointestinal tract. In the second experiment we determined that there was no significant difference between the gastro-protective effects of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 mg of melatonin mixed per 1 kg of food. A coarsely ground diet is hypothesized to have a gastro-protective effect by stimulating the production of melatonin in the stomach tissues. Dietary supplementation of food with melatonin, at threshold levels perhaps lower than 2.5 mg/kg/feed, may significantly reduce the incidence of gastric ulcers in pigs.

Melatonin protects against gastric ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

Lipid peroxidation and active oxygen metabolites have been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of acute gastric mucosal injury induced by ischemia-reperfusion. The aim of this study was to examine the in vivo protective effects of melatonin on ischemia-reperfusion induced gastric damage in rats. The peroxidation of lipids and changes in the activities of related enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase and myeloperoxidase, as a marker of neutrophil infiltration, were also studied. Our results show that gastric injury was significantly increased after 30 min ischemia induced by clamping the celiac artery and 60 min reperfusion. Intraperitoneal administration of melatonin prevented postischemic mucosal injury. The mean ulcer indices of rats treated with 5, 10, and 20 mg kg(-1) were significantly lower (P<0.01, P<0.001) than that of control rats. These protective effects were likely in part related to a reduction of neutrophil infiltration (myeloperoxidase values). Lipid peroxidation in the stomach was increased by ischemia-reperfusion injury and this increase was inhibited by the administration of melatonin. In addition, treatment with melatonin limited the decreased glutathione peroxidase activity. The results suggest that melatonin confers a marked protection against ischemia-reperfusion gastric injury which could be due to melatonin's free radical scavenging activity and its ability to reduce neutrophil-induced toxicity.

Cytoprotective activity of cisapride on experimental gastric mucosal lesions induced by ethanol. Role of endogenous prostaglandins

The antiulcer effects and protective mechanisms of cisapride, a prokinetic benzamide agonist of 5-HT3 and antagonist of 5-HT4 receptors, were investigated in gastric mucosal injury induced by pretreatment with 50% v/v ethanol in rats. The duration of the protective effect was also studied and the results were compared with those of 5-HT. 240 min after administration of cisapride (10, 25 and 50 mg/kg) the total area of gastric lesions decreased significantly, in macroscopical and histological evaluations, and the mucus, hexosamine, and sulphated glycoprotein content were significantly increased. Indomethacin partially reversed cisapride protection suggesting that the beneficial antiulcer effects of this drug could be mediated in part by prostaglandins. This study confirms that this benzamide, in this experimental model, enhances gastric PGE2 production. We also investigated the time course of action of 5-HT, 30-240 min before ethanol administration, and our study not only demonstrates the ulcerogenic action of the amine (30 min of pretreatment) but also its protective nature, shown macroscopic and microscopically, after 240 min of its administration, without any effect on PGs production. These findings suggest a new gastroprotective feature of cisapride partly explained through a prostaglandin-dependent mechanism and possibly independent of its 5-HT activity.

The role of gastric mucosal sulphydryls in the ulcer-protecting effects of cisapride

The present study was designed to examine the role of endogenous sulphydryls (SHs) in the gastro-protection induced by cisapride (CIS) (10, 25 and 50 mg kg-1 i.p.), a potent benzamide stimulating gastrointestinal motility in mucosal injury induced by 50% v/v ethanol. Results were compared with those of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) (10mg kg-1). Ethanol mucosal damage was significantly reduced by treatment with CIS and 5-HT. On the contrary, administration of n-ethylmaleimide (NEM) (10 mg kg-1) an SH alkylator, markedly worsened lesion formation and counteracted the protective effect of CIS. Rats pretreated with CIS significantly increased the total sulphydryls as reflected in the non-protein and protein fractions however, 5-HT treatment showed a fall in the non-protein level. The present results suggest that 5-HT-ergic dependent mechanisms have no relation to the gastro-protection afforded by CIS in this experimental model. It is possible that mucosal SHs could be involved.

The intraperitoneal effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine on haemodynamics, gastric mucosal blood flow and platelet aggregation

The effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on gastric mucosal blood flow and lesion formation have been established. However, the mechanisms accounting for the reduction of gastric mucosal blood flow have not been defined. The current study aimed to test the hypothesis that decrease of gastric mucosal blood flow in rats is the result of changes of systemic blood pressure and/or platelet aggregation. 5-HT (given i.p. 5 or 10 mg/kg) time and dose dependently reduced gastric mucosal blood flow and systemic arterial blood pressure; it also potentiated ethanol-induced mucosal damage. Methysergide (a 5-HT2-receptor blocker) pretreatment alleviated the decrease of gastric mucosal blood flow and lesion formation but not the systemic blood pressure. Also in the 5-HT-treated animals, the mucosal oxygen (O2) and haemoglobin levels as well as the systemic blood CO2 were reduced, but the blood O2 was increased. The latter two parameters correlated with an elevation of the respiratory rate. The blood platelet count was not affected by 5-HT pretreatment. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) dose dependently induced a similar degree of platelet aggregation in platelet rich plasma fractions in the saline and 5-HT-treated rats in vitro. 5-HT in the concentrations of 1 or 10 microM, promoted the platelet aggregation produced by ADP. However, this action was attenuated in the 5-HT-pretreated rats, indicating that tachyphylaxis of 5-HT action on platelet aggregation could occur.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The role of endogenous ulcerogenic mediators in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer

The pathogenetic mechanisms of different types of peptic ulcer are still unclear. Extensive investigations have been focused on the identification of potential endogenous ulcerogenic mediators in animals and men. These studies are important in the development of a better therapeutic agent, either to prevent or to cure peptic ulcer in humans. Several endogenous substances have been identified and are reported to be involved in the production of gastrointestinal lesions in animals. Also these substances were increased during inflammatory responses and their actions were reported as vascular dependent and possibly free radicals related. Reports related to the types of these mediators have been extensive. The more important ones include some of the lipid metabolites, neuropeptides, biogenic amines, and also Helicobacter pylori and reactive free radicals. The present study summarizes the ulcerogenic mechanisms of these substances and the types of ulcer involved. More current information may enable us to understand better the etiology of peptic ulcer and possibly its prevention and cure in man. Any particular types of ulceration will not be specifically discussed in this article, because they have been extensively studied and reviewed.

Effects of the S2-serotonergic receptor antagonist, ketanserin, on cerulein-induced pancreatitis in the rat

We investigated the effects of ketanserin, a S 2 (5-hydroxytryptamine 2; 5-HT 2)-serotonergic receptor antagonist, on cerulein-induced pancreatitis in the rat. Large pharmacological doses of cerulein induced acute pancreatitis in the rat. Ketanserin reduced the cerulein-induced increase in serum amylase concentration in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with 10 mg/kg of ketanserin per os markedly improved cerulein-induced pancreatitis and was associated with a significant reduction of the increase in serum amylase concentration. In addition, a very specific serotonin S 2 antagonist, ritanserin which has no antihypertensive effect, also reduced the cerulein-induced increase in the serum amylase concentration. These results suggest that S 2 (5-HT 2) may play a role in pathophysiology of cerulein-induced pancreatitis in the rat.

Disparate effects of intracisternal RX 77368 and ODT8-SS on gastric acid and serotonin release: role of adrenal catecholamines

Intracisternal injection of the thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) analogue RX 77368 (100 ng) or the somatostatin analogue ODT8-SS (1 microgram) produced an 82% and 101% increase in gastric acid secretion in 2 h pylorus-ligated rats. In contrast, dissimilar effects were produced by intracisternal injection of these peptides on the secretion of serotonin into the gastric lumen. Intracisternal RX 77368 (100 ng) produced a 496% increase in intraluminal serotonin release, while in contrast, intracisternal ODT8-SS (1 microgram) produced a 78% inhibition in intraluminal serotonin release. Bilateral adrenalectomy reversed the stimulatory effect of intracisternal RX 77368 (100 ng) on serotonin, but not acid release. The data reveal a difference in the ability of the two peptides, which act as gastric secretagogues, to produce intraluminal acid and serotonin release, and suggest that combined activation of the vagus and the adrenal gland are important in mediating basal and RX 77368-stimulated serotonin release into the gastric lumen. In particular, differential effects on adrenal catecholamine release are implicated in the divergent effects of the two peptides.