Gastrointestinal Motility, Mucosal Mast Cell, and Intestinal Histology in Rats: Effect of Prednisone

• Published in: BioMed research international Vol. 2017; no. 2017; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Corá, Luciana Aparecida, Dall’Agnol, Denize Jussara Rupolo, Hauschildt, Andrieli Taise, Gama, Loyane Almeida, Lima, Maysa Bruno de, Americo, Madileine Francely
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01-01-2017; Hindawi; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Animals; Blood; Care and treatment; Cecum; Cell-mediated immunity; Clinical medicine; Dosage and administration; Emptying; Gastric emptying; Gastric motility; Gastrointestinal diseases; Gastrointestinal system; Glucocorticoids; Histology; Immunity; Immunology; Intestinal absorption; Laboratories; Mast cells; Motility; Movement disorders; Mucosa; Muscles; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Physiology; Prednisone; Rats; Rats as laboratory animals; Rodents; Sensors; Small intestine; Studies; Villus; Brazil; United States > US
• ISSN: 2314-6133; 2314-6141
• DOI: 10.1155/2017/4637621

Our aim was to verify the effects of prednisone related to gastrointestinal motility, intestinal histology, and mucosal mast cells in rats. Two-month-old male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to control group (vehicle) animals receiving saline 0.9% (n=7) or treated orally with 0.625 mg/kg/day of prednisone (n=7) or 2.5 mg/kg/day of prednisone (n=7) during 15 days. Mast cells and other histologic analyses were performed in order to correlate to gastric emptying, cecum arrival, and small intestine transit evaluated by Alternating Current Biosusceptometry. Results showed that prednisone in adult rats increased the frequency of gastric contractions, hastened gastric emptying, slowed small intestinal transit, and reduced mucosal mast cells. Histologically, the treatment with both doses of prednisone decreased villus height, whereas longitudinal and circular muscles and crypt depth were not affected. These findings indicate an impairment of intestinal absorption which may be linked to several GI dysfunctions and symptoms. The relationship between gastrointestinal motor disorders and cellular immunity needs to be clarified in experimental studies since prednisone is one of the most prescribed glucocorticoids worldwide.