The effect of corticosteroids on intestinal inflammation in experimental inflammatory disease

Cilj: Osnovni cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi ucinak kortikosteroida na morfološke promjene crijeva u životinjskom modelu upalne bolesti crijeva. Materijali i metode: Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorcima tkiva završnog dijela debelog crijeva Sprague-Dawley štakora kojima je izazvana upalna bolest crijeva. Radi se o TNBS modelu kolitisa (2,4,6- trinitrobenzosulfonska kiselina) koji pokazuje karakteristike Crohnove bolesti u ljudi. U istraživanju su korištene 3 skupine uzoraka tkiva uklopljenih u parafin. Svoju hipotezu smo procijenili na osnovi analize histoloških preparata stijenke crijeva (hematoksilin-eozin bojenje) i velicine mikroskopskog oštecenja tkiva. Rezultati: U skupini uzoraka s kronicnim kolitisom životinje su imale visok mikroskopski indeks oštecenja, a uzoraka bez oštecenja ili s niskim indeksom nije bilo. Histološki, bile su vidljive opsežne transmuralne promjene uz skracenje crijeva i gubitak morfologije. U skupini životinja lijecenih s kortikosteroidima (1 mg/kg deksametazona) utvren je manji mikroskopski indeks oštecenja. Histološki, ovi uzorci ukazuju na upalne promjene znacajno manjeg intenziteta bez promjena u debljini stijenke. Arhitektura i morfologija više nalikuju normalnom crijevu. Zakljucak: Terapijska primjena kortikosteroida u kronicnom obliku Crohnove bolesti znacajno umanjuje upalne promjene u stijenci crijeva koje su slabijeg intenziteta i nižeg mikroskopskog indeksa oštecenja.Objective: This study has evaluated the effect of corticosteroids on morphological changes in the intestine in an animal model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Materials and methods: This study was performed on the colon tissue samples of Sprague-Dawley rats. An intracolic administration of haptene – trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) dissolved in ethanol induced severe colonic damage which is known as TNBS induced colitis. This model is often used to simulate the pathophysiological changes and the clinical course of IBD. Colonic tissue samples were evaluated microscopically for mucosal injury. The results have been demonstrated as microscopic damage score. Results: In the chronic colitis induced group, the animals exhibited high levels of microscopic damage. Histologically, extensive transmural changes were observed, as well as bowel shortening and loss of normal morphology. On the other side, animals treated with corticosteroids (1 mg/kg of dexamethasone) have shown lower microscopic damage score. Histologically, these samples indicate inflammatory changes of lower intensity without a change in wall thickness. Conclusion: Therapeutic use of corticosteroids in the chronic form of Crohn's disease significantly reduces inflammatory changes in the intestinal wall