Neurotensin increases intestinal adaptation and reduces enteroglucagon-like immunoreactivity after large bowel resection in rats.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effects of giving neurotensin on intestinal adaptation after colectomy and their relation to enteroglucagon-like immunoreactivity.

DESIGN

Laboratory experiment.

SETTING

Teaching hospital, Spain.

MATERIAL

55 Male Wistar rats.

INTERVENTIONS

All animals were anaesthetised before undergoing laparotomy; 24 animals had 75% of their colon resected. Half of the animals (12 in each group) were treated with neurotensin (600 micrograms/kg body wt/day) for 14 days.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Differences in the number of mitoses and in nuclear antigen staining of proliferating cells in the intestinal mucosal crypts; plasma enteroglucagon-like immunoreactivity.

RESULTS

After colon resection, the proliferative status, number of mitoses (p < 0.01), and nuclear antigen staining of proliferating cells (p < 0.001) increased significantly in the jejunum of animals treated with neurotensin (p < 0.05). Less pronounced effects were observed in colon and ileum. Plasma enteroglucagon-like immunoreactivity levels fell significantly in all animals given neurotensin (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Neurotensin increases the adaptive intestinal process after colon resection and reduces plasma enteroglucagon-like immunoreactivity in rats.