The role of neutrophilic mediators in acute inflammation of the gut

Activation of granulocytes within the lamina propria by luminally derived bacterial products may represent an important mechanism in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. One objective of this thesis was to determine the effects of luminal perfusion with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), a bacterial product that attracts and activates granulocytes, on mucosal permeability in different regions of the rat small intestine and colon. Mucosal permeability was measured using the blood-to-lumen clearance of 51Cr-EDTA during luminal perfusion with FMLP dissolved in Tyrode's solution. Of the bowel segments studied, mucosal permeability was significantly increased only in the distal 10 cm of the ileum. In order to define the role of neutrophilic oxidants in FMLP-induced ileitis, we evaluated the protective effect of several free radical scavengers and antioxidant enzymes. Pretreatment with the either superoxide dismutase or catalase had no effect on the FMLP-induced increase in mucosal permeability. However, treatment with either Mn-desferrioxamine, PZ51, desferrioxamine, or dimethylsulfoxide significantly attenuated FMLP-induced mucosal damage. Non-oxidative toxins released from activated neutrophil may be another mechanism by which FMLP increases mucosal permeability. In order to investigate the role of neutrophilic proteases in FMLP-induced ileitis, the effects of the nonspecific protease inhibitor soybean trypsin inhibitor, and the elastase inhibitors MeOSuc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val-CH2Cl(MAAPV) and Eglin C on the FMLP-induced increases in 51Cr-EDTA clearance were determined