Guinea pig ileitis is attenuated by the leumedin N-(fluorenyl-9- methoxycarbonyl)-leucine (NPC 15199)

Anti-inflammatory properties have been ascribed to a series of N-(fluorenyl-9-methoxycarbonyl) amino acids called leumedins that inhibit the activity of granulocytes and T-lymphocytes. We evaluated one of these leumedins, N-(fluorenyl-9-methoxycarbonyl) leucine (NPC 15199), in a model of ileitis in guinea pigs. Ileitis was induced by intraluminal trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS 30 mg/kg in 50% ethanol) in anesthetized guinea pigs. NPC 15199 was administered daily (10 or 100 mg/kg, s.c.). After 7 days, the guinea pigs were anesthetized, and saline was administered intraluminally into an ileal loop created at the site of TNBS administration and was withdrawn after 30 min. The changes in lavage protein, nitrite levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and mast cell numbers were used as indices of inflammation and injury. NPC 15199 (10 or 100 mg/kg) attenuated or abolished TNBS-induced elevations in lavage protein and nitrite content. Only the high dose of NPC 15199 (100 mg/kg) attenuated ileal MPO activity and mast cell hyperplasia. Histological disturbances induced by TNBS administration included crypt hypertrophy, mucosal and submucosal fibrosis and smooth-muscle hyperplasia. These disturbances were reversed by high-dose NPC 15199 (100 mg/kg) but were minimally affected by low-dose NPC 15199 (10 mg/kg). We conclude that NPC 15199 prevents mucosal injury and dysfunction in this model of intestinal inflammation. Inhibition of granulocyte infiltration does not appear to be essential for the beneficial effects of NPC 15199 and suggests that the alternative actions of NPC 15199 may be pertinent to this model.