JOURNAL ARTICLE
RESEARCH SUPPORT, N.I.H., EXTRAMURAL
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Necrotizing enterocolitis leads to disruption of tight junctions and increase in gut permeability in a mouse model.

BMC Pediatrics 2018 November 28
BACKGROUND: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a leading cause of death in preterm infants. Neonates weighing <1500 grams are at the highest risk for acquiring NEC, with a prevalence of nearly 7-10%, mortality up to 30%, and several long-term complications among survivors. Despite advancements in neonatal medicine, this disease remains a challenge to treat. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of NEC on gut epithelial tight junctions and its barrier function using a NEC mouse model.

METHODS: Three-day old C57BL/6 mouse pups were fed with Esbilac formula every 3 hours and then subjected to hypoxia twice daily followed by cold stress. Dam fed pups from the same litters served as controls. Pups were observed and sacrificed 96 hours after the treatments and intestines were removed for experiments. The successful induction of NEC was confirmed by histopathology. Changes in tight junction proteins in NEC intestines were studied by western blotting and immunofluorescent microscopy using specific protein markers. The gut leakage in NEC was visualized using biotin tracer molecules.

RESULTS: Our study results demonstrate that we induced NEC in >50% of experimental pups, pups lost nearly 40% of weight and their intestines showed gross changes and microscopic changes associated with NEC. There were inflammatory changes with loss of tight junction barrier function and disruption of tight junction claudin proteins in the intestines of NEC mouse model. We have demonstrated for the first time that NEC intestines develop increased leakiness as visualized by biotin tracer leakage.

CONCLUSIONS: NEC leads to breakdown of epithelial barrier due to changes in tight junction proteins with increased leakiness which may explain the transmigration of microbes and microbial products from the gut lumen into the blood stream leading to sepsis like signs clinically witnessed.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app