DNA synthesis in the gastroduodenal mucosa during acute and chronic stress in the rat.

We investigated the effects of acute and chronic stress on the DNA synthesis of the gastroduodenal mucosa of the rat using two different methods of physical stress at various time intervals. Acute stress was produced in the rats being briefly plunged or swimming for two hours (water temperature 37 degrees C). "Sham - transported" rats were used as controls. The results indicate that in the stomach the DNA synthesis was substantially reduced during acute stress in both groups tested (when compared to controls). The DNA synthesis was also reduced in experimental rats after one and two weeks of stress (as compared to day one). By four and eight weeks, the rate of DNA synthesis in the gastric mucosa had significantly increased in the stressed animals. Controls demonstrated significantly lower DNA values following two to eight weeks of stress (as compared to day one). From the outset, the DNA replication values were 2.5 to 3 times higher in the duodenal mucosa than in the gastric mucosa. Following two weeks of stress, the duodenal mucosa of both test groups showed significantly lower DNA values than controls, but significantly higher values after four weeks of stress. By eight weeks, the duodenal mucosa in all rats had reached the same values as that of day one. This was considered a sign of "adaptation to stress" in the duodenal mucosa. The above results suggest that the fluctuations of DNA replication may be connected to compensatory mechanisms aimed at adjusting the gastroduodenal mucosa to protracted stress situations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)