The correlation of the weakening effect on gastric mucosal integrity by 5-HT with neutrophil activation

Joshua K.S. Ko, Jun-Jiang Ma, Jimmy Y. C. Chow, Li Ma, Chi-Hin Cho*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage and on epithelial and vascular integrity were investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with 5-HT (5 or 10 mg/kg, IP) 30 min prior to the challenge with ethanol (40% v/v, 10 ml/kg, PO). 5-HT dose dependently aggravated ethanol-induced injury in the gastric mucosa. Both xanthine oxidase (XO) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities in the mucosa were significantly increased with the high dose of 5-HT, which also potentiated the elevation of these enzyme activities by ethanol. However, the mucosal superoxide dismutase activity was left unaltered. In neutropenic (antineutrophil serum-treated) animals, the ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury was significantly ameliorated, with or without the pretreatment of 5- HT (10 mg/kg). In addition, the effect of 5-HT on the activity of MPO, but not of XO, was also attenuated in these animals. In the ex vivo gastric chamber study on pentobarbital-anesthetized animals, volume of gastric secretion was significantly decreased in the 5-HT-treated groups, with further reduction after ethanol incubation. Transmucosal potential difference (PD) was significantly reduced in 5-HT-treated rats, which also potentiated the ethanol-induced drop in PD. Nevertheless, 5-HT dose dependently increased mucosal vascular permeability and further enhanced during ethanol incubation. These findings suggest that 5-HT adversely affects the defense mechanisms of the gastric mucosa by reducing the secretory function of the mucosal cells and to weaken the epithelial and vascular integrity. Neutrophil activation appears to be responsible for the detrimental effects of 5-HT partly through the elevation in MPO activity. The increase in mucosal XO activity by 5-HT may induce free radical production and possibly modulate the ulcerogenic processes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1007-1014
Number of pages8
JournalFree Radical Biology and Medicine
Volume24
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 1998

Scopus Subject Areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Physiology (medical)

User-Defined Keywords

  • 5-HT
  • Ethanol
  • Free radicals
  • Neutrophil
  • Gastric mucosal integrity

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The correlation of the weakening effect on gastric mucosal integrity by 5-HT with neutrophil activation'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this