Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of infliximab in a rat model of intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury

Toxicol Ind Health. 2012 Nov;28(10):923-32. doi: 10.1177/0748233711427056. Epub 2011 Nov 14.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective effects of infliximab on oxidative stress, cell proliferation and apoptosis in the rat intestinal mucosa after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). A total of 30 male Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: sham, I/R and I/R+ infliximab; each group comprised 10 animals. Sham group animals underwent laparotomy without I/R injury. I/R groups after undergoing laparotomy, 1 hour of superior mesenteric artery ligation occurred, which was followed by 1 hour of reperfusion. In the infliximab group, 3 days before I/R, infliximab (3 mg/kg) was administered intravenously. All animals were killed at the end of reperfusion and intestinal tissues samples were obtained for biochemical and histopathological investigation in all groups. To date, no biochemical and histopathological changes have been reported regarding intestinal I/R injury in rats due to infliximab treatment. Infliximab treatment significantly decreased the elevated tissue malondialdehyde levels and increased reduced superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase enzyme activities in intestinal tissues samples. I/R caused severe histopathological injury including mucosal erosions, inflammatory cell infiltration, necrosis, hemorrhage, and villous congestion. Infliximab treatment significantly attenuated the severity of intestinal I/R injury, inhibiting I/R-induced apoptosis, and cell proliferation. Because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, infliximab pretreatment may have protective effects on the experimental intestinal I/R model of rats.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Inflammation / drug therapy
  • Infliximab
  • Intestinal Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Intestinal Diseases / metabolism
  • Intestinal Diseases / pathology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Intestinal Mucosa / pathology
  • Jejunum / metabolism
  • Jejunum / pathology
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde / metabolism
  • Mesenteric Artery, Superior
  • Necrosis / drug therapy
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Reperfusion Injury / drug therapy*
  • Reperfusion Injury / metabolism
  • Reperfusion Injury / pathology
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antioxidants
  • Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Infliximab
  • Glutathione Peroxidase
  • Superoxide Dismutase