Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Anthony

Publications and source records attributed to A Anthony.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Intestinal site-dependent susceptibility to chronic indomethacin in the rat: a morphological and biochemical study.

BACKGROUND: The cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor indomethacin induces a pattern of gastrointestinal injury in the rat that is site-dependent. This study compared the extent of injury to different regions of the rat intestine (small intestine, caecum and colon) with the corresponding changes in arachidonic acid metabolism in these areas, following long-term, low-dose indomethachin. METHODS: Rats (eight per group) received either indomethacin (3 mg.kg/day) or control diet for either 6 or 12 weeks. At termination animals were bled, examined both macroscopically and microscopically for ulcers, and assayed for blood thromboxane B2, intestinal tissue prostaglandin E2 content and production of leukotriene B4. In a further eight animals luminal indomethacin concentrations from the small intestine, caecum and colon were measured following 6 weeks of chronic drug ingestion. RESULTS: At 6 weeks, macroscopic ulcers were observed in 2/8 (small intestine), 3/8 (caecum) and 1/8 (colon) animals. The corresponding ratios at 12 weeks were 5/8, 8/8 and 0/8. In control animals, a site-dependent gradient of the prostaglandin E2 concentration was found. In indomethacin-dosed animals the intestinal prostaglandin E2 content was reduced significantly in the caecum at 6 weeks, and in all tissues at 12 weeks. An increased leukotriene B4 production was observed in the caecum only, at 12 weeks (P < 0.01), and the blood thromboxane B2 was reduced at both time points (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There is a site-dependent gradient of the prostaglandin E2 concentration in the rat intestine. The rat caecum is particularly sensitive to long-term low-dose indomethacin, both in terms of chronic intestinal inflammation and changes in prostanoid metabolism. This site-dependent degree of injury may be associated with a local cyclo-oxygenase inhibition.

Animals↗

Pre-ulcerative villous contraction and microvascular occlusion induced by indomethacin in the rat jejunum: a detailed morphological study.

BACKGROUND: In indomethacin-induced jejunal ulceration in the rat, villi undergo both early microvascular injury and shortening that may involve activation of villous smooth muscle. AIM: This study sought to substantiate light microscopic observations using three-dimensional imaging of early villous architectural changes in response to indomethacin. METHODS: At both 2 and 6 h after oral indomethacin 15 mg/kg or vehicle to groups of rats, the vasculature of the small intestine was visualised by both carbon-ink perfusion/confocal microscopy and injection casting. The mucosa was also examined for lesions by dissection microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: In indomethacin-dosed rats examined by scanning electron microscopy and histology, the mucosa at 2 h showed villous shortening and wrinkling of the surface epithelium without epithelial loss; at 6 h, the mucosa was flattened, often with epithelial loss to expose a 'contracted' villous core. Examination of the 'vasculature in carbon-injected tissues indicated significant reductions of both mucosal height and inter-capillary distance at both 2 and 6 h post-indomethacin. Scanning electron microscopy of injection casts at 2 and 6 h indicated similar changes. These changes were not seen in control tissues. CONCLUSION: Histology, confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy support the proposal that villous shortening with disruption of surface capillary architecture are early changes in the ulcerative enteropathy induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Animals↗

Procoagulant and prothrombotic responses of human endothelium to indomethacin and endotoxin in vitro. Relevance to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug enteropathy.

BACKGROUND: In view of the association between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and microvascular injury in the intestine, this study investigated the procoagulant changes in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) when exposed to indomethacin either alone or in the presence of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). METHODS: Confluent HUVEC cultures were cultured for 1, 6, 12, and 24 h in the presence of LPS (10 micrograms/ml) with or without indomethacin (1-100 microM). After incubation, supernatants were analysed for 6-keto-prostaglandin (PG) F1 alpha and PGE2 content, whereas cells were freeze-fractured and assayed in a one-stage clotting assay for the expression of procoagulant activity (PCA). RESULTS: LPS induced a significant expression of PCA at 6, 12, and 24 h, with a significantly increased production of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, whereas the increased PGE2 production was much less pronounced. Indomethacin alone induced a time-dependent PCA response; when coincubated with LPS the PCA response was greater than that produced by either indomethacin or LPS alone. Indomethacin totally abolished the synthesis of antithrombotic eicosanoids. CONCLUSION: Indomethacin induces PCA in HUVEC and augments LPS-induced PCA, while it abolishes the antithrombotic prostanoid response in these cells. These observations may be relevant to the microvascular injury and thrombosis observed in NSAID enteropathy.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

Mycobacterial granulomatous inflammation in the ulcerated caecum of indomethacin-treated rats.

We report mycobacterial granulomatous inflammation in the ulcerated caecum of rats that received indomethacin. Two groups of male rats were treated with dietary indomethacin 3 mg/kg/day or untreated diet for 3 weeks. Six out of 8 indomethacin treated rats showed both ulceration and inflammation of the caecal mucosa. Two of the rats showing caecal ulceration also showed distinct granulomatous inflammation of the caecal mucosa and acid-fast bacilli were identified within granulomata. None of the other indomethacin treated or control rats contained acid-fast bacilli within caecal tissue sections but they were present, in the same sections, within the lumen of most rats in both groups. Polymerase chain reaction analysis identified the mycobacterial 65 kDa GroEL gene within control and granulomatous caecal tissue. In a repeat of indomethacin administration to a third group of rats, culture of both non-granulomatous caecal tissue (containing histologically identified luminal acid-fast bacilli) and faecal samples for mycobacteria was negative.

Animals↗

Acute indomethacin-induced jejunal injury in the rat: early morphological and biochemical changes.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastrointestinal injury induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs includes smooth muscle contraction, endothelial cell injury, and neutrophil infiltration. The aim of this study was to correlate early morphological changes with those in the metabolism of arachidonic acid. METHODS: Rats administered a single oral dose of indomethacin (15 mg/kg) or vehicle were killed and their intestines perfusion-fixed at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 48 hours after dosage. Serial sections of affected small intestine were immunostained for neutrophils, macrophages, actin, and fibrinogen. In addition, rats receiving either indomethacin (15 mg/kg) or vehicle were killed at 1 and 6 hours after dosage; blood and small intestinal tissue were assayed for blood thromboxane B2, intestinal tissue prostaglandin E2, and the intestinal production of leukotriene B4. RESULTS: At 2-6 hours, both intravascular and extravascular fibrin deposition were evident at the villus tip, and vertical alignment of villus smooth muscle cells was prominent. Significant neutrophil infiltration associated with a significant increase in leukotriene production was observed 6 hours after dosage. The extracted prostaglandin E2 content that was suppressed at 1 hour had recovered by 6 hours, whereas the blood thromboxane B2 levels were suppressed throughout the experiment. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies an early neutrophil-independent phase of indomethacin-induced enteropathy that involves rapid cyclooxygenase inhibition and both microvascular and smooth muscle changes.

Animals↗

Ulceration, fibrosis and diaphragm-like lesions in the caecum of rats treated with indomethacin.

BACKGROUND: Patients on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can develop curious intestinal fibrotic diaphragms. METHODS: Groups of rats received indomethacin mixed into a powdered diet at 3 mg.kg/day for 6 and 12 weeks and 6 mg.kg/day for up to 6 weeks. In an attempt to reproduce a human dosing regimen, another group of rats, for a total of 30 weeks, received consecutive periods of indomethacin at 3 mg.kg/day for 12 weeks, 4.5 mg.kg/day for 1 week, 6 mg.kg/day for 1 week, control diet for 6 weeks, 4.5 mg.kg/day for 2 weeks and finally, a control diet for a healing period of 8 weeks. Control rats received powdered diet alone. At termination, the small and large intestines were examined macroscopically and histologically. RESULTS: Indomethacin caused microcytic anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, small intestinal ulceration, caecal ulceration and inconspicuous raised mucosal lesions in the caecum that histologically showed submucosal fibrosis with disruption and thickening of the apical muscularis mucosae. No control rats showed any abnormality. CONCLUSION: These fibrotic lesions of the rat caecum resemble human diaphragms and may arise from healed caecal ulcers.

Administration, Oral↗

Dexamethasone promotes ulcer plugging in experimental enteritis.

AIM: We investigated the effect of dexamethasone on indomethacin-induced ulceration in the rat. METHODS: Groups of four rats received oral indomethacin (15 mg/kg) and the jejunal mucosa was examined 24 h later for mucosal ulceration. Three of the groups received oral dexamethasone (1, 3 and 6 mg/kg) 0.5 h prior to indomethacin, while the fourth received vehicle. Haematological evaluation was performed and ulcers were assessed both histologically and immunohistochemically. RESULTS: Indomethacin caused multifocal jejunal ulceration that was reduced only by the highest dose of dexamethasone (6 mg/kg). Indomethacin caused a significant fall in the blood haemoglobin concentration that was prevented by dexamethasone at all doses. The ulcers induced by indomethacin alone were deep, punched-out and haemorrhagic while the ulcers arising in rats pre-treated with dexamethasone (all doses) were 'plugged' by a white fibrino-purulent exudate. Histologically, the dexamethasone ulcer exudate was composed of bacteria, fibrin, mucus and a significant increase in the numbers of neutrophils. Dexamethasone alone had no significant pathological effect on the small intestine. CONCLUSIONS: We report the observation that dexamethasone at high doses inhibits indomethacin-induced jejunal ulceration in the rat while at low doses it promotes 'plugging' of ulcers with bacteria, fibrin, mucus and neutrophils that probably reduces haemorrhage from the ulcer base.

Animals↗

The effects of congenital hypothyroidism using the hyt/hyt mouse on locomotor activity and learned behavior.

The offspring of matings between hyt/hyt male mice and hyt/+ females were examined for somatic and behavioral differences. The hyt/hyt offspring displayed delayed somatic development for eye opening and ear extension relative to their euthyroid littermates. Behavioral measurement of locomotor activity indicated hyperactivity at 14 days of age and hypoactivity at 21 and 40 days relative to the euthyroid mice. Impaired swimming escape behavior and Morris maze spatial learning were observed in the hyt/hyt animals. Comparative evaluation of +/+ progenitor strain offspring having no hypothyroidism in their genetic background indicated significant differences in somatic and behavioral endpoints between the hyt/hyt and euthyroid (hyt/+, +/+) animals. These results confirm the utility of the hyt/hyt mouse for studies of the impact of congenital hypothyroidism on the functional development of the offspring.

Animals↗

Early histological features of small intestinal injury induced by indomethacin.

The early histological features of indomethacin-induced jejunal injury in the rat are described in tissues preserved by perfusion-fixation with 10% formol-saline. After an oral dose of indomethacin (15 mg/kg, known to cause severe multifocal ulceration of the rat jejunum), groups of rats were anaesthetized with subsequent perfusion-fixation of the gastrointestinal tract at 1, 2, 3, 6 and 48 h after dosing. Using routine light microscopic techniques, we have observed a sequence of four distinct stages, in time, of small intestinal injury. The earliest histological features were shortening of the villi, epithelial stratification, basal lamina degeneration, eosinophil degranulation and infiltration of the epithelium prior to infiltration of the mucosa by neutrophils. We consider that these earliest changes, seen at 1, 2 and 3 h, represent a distinct histological entity termed Type 1 change or villous 'tufting'. Type 2 change includes all of the features of Type 1 change plus the subsequent infiltration of the mucosa by neutrophils at 2, 3 and 6 h. Type 3 change includes necrosis of the upper-third of the villi and was mainly seen at 3 and 6 h. Type 4 change describes extreme injury to more than one-third of the mucosa with severe, acute inflammation and perforation of the bowel wall by 48 h. Although a small number of neutrophils had appeared to infiltrate the mucosa as early as 2 h after dosing, they were only significantly increased at 3, 6 and 48 h. Possible pathogenic mechanisms involved in shortening of villi as a result of smooth muscle contraction and the role of mucosal eosinophils in NSAID-induced jejunal injury in the rat are discussed.

Animals↗

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and management of choledocholithiasis.

The advent of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has led to a reassessment of the approach to the management of choledocholithiasis. In a consecutive series of 418 patients undergoing LC, common bile duct (CBD) stones were suspected pre-operatively in 130 patients. Forty-five of the patients (35%) were found to have CBD stones on either pre-operative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP; 20) or on operative cholangiography (OC; 25). Common bile duct stones were detected on OC in a further 12 of 288 patients (4.2%) without pre-operative suspicion of choledocholithiasis. Of the total of 57 patients with CBD stones, the duct was cleared by pre-operative ERCP and endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) in 15 patients. In 13 patients, two of whom had had a pre-operative ERCP and ES, duct clearance was achieved by relaxing the sphincter pharmacologically and flushing the CBD via the OC catheter. One patient had an on-table ERCP and ES with successful stone extraction during LC. Eleven patients were converted to open operation with bile duct exploration. Sixteen patients had a postoperative ERCP. In five patients the CBD stones had passed spontaneously in the time between LC and ERCP. Ten patients required ES to clear the duct of stones. One patient had a failed ERCP and is still awaiting a repeat. The remaining patient was scheduled, but did not return for follow-up ERCP. In summary, pre-operative ERCP was indicated in less than 10% of patients in this series.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Early mucosal changes in Crohn's disease.

Aphthoid ulceration has been regarded as an early macroscopic feature of Crohn's disease, yet the cause of this mucosal lesion is unknown. Examination of areas of apparently normal and non-inflamed bowel in Crohn's disease has allowed the identification of mucosal changes which occur before macroscopic and microscopic ulceration. Thirty five resection specimens from patients with Crohn's disease were compared with 12 specimens from patients with ulcerative colitis and 13 controls. Specimens were fixed either by immersion in formalin in the routine way or by perfusion fixation with formalin at mean arterial pressure. Immunostaining for macrophages, vessel wall, and blood constituents allowed identification of small mucosal capillaries which were not apparent otherwise. In Crohn's disease damage and rupture of these small capillaries occurred before infiltration of the lamina propria by inflammatory cells. Loss of the overlying epithelium seemed to follow this vascular damage.

Capillaries↗

Cytophotometric analysis of magnocellular azure B-RNA and Feulgen-DNA following chronic GABA infusion into the nucleus basalis of rats.

This investigation was undertaken to examine possible cytopathic effects of GABA infusion on nucleus basalis (NBM) magnocellular neurons. Sixty-three male Long-Evans rats received unilateral, intra-NBM infusions of either GABA100 (100 micrograms/microliters/h), GABA10 (10 micrograms/microliters/h), or ultrafiltered saline (1 microliter/h) for a period of 24 hours. Rats from each of these groups were sacrificed at either 24 hours, 48 hours or 8 days following initiation of infusions. The sham operated hemisphere of each rat served as a control for the infused hemisphere. After stoichiometric azure B-RNA and Feulgen-DNA staining of brain sections, scanning-integrating microdensitometry was used to quantify GABA-induced alterations in these well established indices of neuronal toxicity. These results provide evidence that the neurotoxic effects of 24 hours of 100 micrograms/microliters-h GABA infusion are manifested within 48 hours post-initiation of infusions. Although 24 hours of 10 micrograms/microliters-h GABA infusion suppressed NBM neuronal metabolism, the lower magnitude and duration of this effect signified an impending recovery. GABA infusion resulted in little if any NBM neuronal chromatin template impairment (i.e., reduced Feulgen-DNA reactivity), irrespective of the dosage employed and the delay prior to sacrifice.

Analysis of Variance↗

Mesenteric mast cell degranulation in acute T-2 toxin poisoning.

T-2 toxin-induced alterations in rat mesenteric mast cell granulation were measured by cytophotometric analyses of the metachromatic reaction of mast cell granules with azure B. Hypogranulation (diminution of metachromatic material) was observed 8 h following injections of T-2 toxin (0.5-1.5 LD50, i.p.). These data suggest that mast cell activation occurs during acute T-2 intoxication and raise the possibility that mast cell mediators may contribute to toxin-induced cardiovascular collapse.

Animals↗

Changes in HS mouse erythrocyte mass and area with respect to donor age.

Interferometric photographs of blood smears from heterogeneous stock (HS) mice were analyzed for age-related changes in erythrocyte mass using quantitative cytophotometry. Blood smears were obtained from 96 mice (half male/half female) sacrificed at 172, 272, 374, 482, 581, and 664 days of age as part of a larger biomarkers of aging study. Blood smears from each animal were photographed with a Leitz Mach-Zehnder interferometer, and the erythrocyte images on these negatives were measured for dry mass using a Vickers M85a microdensitometer. Cell area measurements were made from a video-microscope image traced with a computer digitizer. Results indicated that animals from middle-age groups (272, 374, and 482 days) have higher red blood cell mass than animals at either young (172 days) or older (581 and 664 days) age groups. Mass changes with respect to age followed similar trends when data were further examined with regard to sex of the animals. Erythrocyte area measurements showed a general age-related decrease in cell size.

Aging↗

Mucosal capillary thrombi in rectal biopsies.

We studied the initial rectal biopsy from 46 patients in whom subsequent follow-up established the diagnosis of either self-limited colitis or inflammatory bowel disease. An additional 12 non-inflamed rectal biopsies were also studied. There was between 2 and 8 years of follow-up in each of these cases. Staining for fibrin (MSB, fibrinogen), platelets (factor XIIIA, Y2/51), and capillary basement membrane (reticulin, collagen 4) was performed to identify thrombotic material within capillaries. Mucosal capillary thrombi were best identified by staining for factor XIIIA; thrombi were observed in 8/13 cases of ulcerative colitis, 4/10 cases of Crohn's disease, 1/3 cases of unspecified inflammatory bowel disease and 5/20 cases of self-limited colitis. The presence of capillary thrombi was not related to the severity of inflammation, but none of the control biopsies showed capillary thrombi. Their presence seems of little diagnostic value in distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease from self-limited colitis. The pathogenetic significance of these mucosal capillary thrombi is uncertain.

Adult↗

Cytophotometric assessment of Feulgen-DNA and coomassie-total cell protein in adrenocortical fasciculata cells of noise-exposed Wistar rats.

The present investigation was undertaken to examine possible noise-induced alterations in adrenal fasciculata cell (AFC) metabolism, and also to determine if the magnitude of these changes differs in male versus female rats. Wistar rats approximately 3 months old were exposed to intense noise for 60 min (100 dB, re 2 x 10(-5) N(m2)-1, 350-20,000 Hz); control rats were housed under identical conditions, at an ambient noise level of 40-60 dB. Adrenal fasciculata cells (AFC) from each animal were examined for noise-induced alterations in Feulgen-DNA reactivity (as an indicator of chromatin template activity) and Coomassie-total cell protein levels using scanning-integrating cytophotometry. The results provide evidence that intense noise elicited a marked AFC metabolic enhancement in both male and female rats; the degree of this enhancement was more pronounced in males. This disparity may be due to pre-existing differences in male versus female AFC enzymatic capability and subsequent responsiveness to noise-induced activation.

Animals↗