Interleukin-10 is differentially expressed in the small intestine and the colon experiencing chronic inflammation and ulcerative colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate in young pigs

Abstract

Intestinal inflammation induced with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) is used to study acute or chronic ulcerative colitis in animal models. Decreased gut tissue anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 concentration and mRNA abundance are associated with the development of chronic bowel inflammation. Twelve piglets of 3 days old were fitted with an intragastric catheter and randomly allocated into control and DSS groups by administrating either sterile saline or 1.25 g of DSS/kg body weight (BW) in saline per day, respectively, for 10 days. Growth rate and food conversion efficiency were reduced (p < 0.05) in the DSS piglets compared with the control group. Quantitative histopathological grading of inflammation in the jejunum and colon collectively showed that the DSS treatment resulted in 12 fold greater (p < 0.05) inflammation severity scoring in the colon than in the jejunum, indicative of chronic ulcerative colitis in the colon. Upper gut permeability endpoint was 27.4 fold higher (p < 0.05) in the DSS group compared with the control group. The DSS group had higher concentrations and mRNA abundances (p < 0.05) of TNF-a and IL-6 in the jejunal and colonic tissues compared with the control group. Colonic concentration and mRNA abundance of IL-10 were reduced (p < 0.05), however, jejunal IL-10 mRNA abundance was increased (p < 0.05) in the DSS group compared with the control group. In conclusion, administration of DSS at 1.25 g/kg BW for 10 days respectively induced acute inflammation in the jejunum and chronic inflammation and ulcerative colitis in the colon with substantially decreased colonic concentration and mRNA abundance of IL-10 in the young pigs, mimicking the IL-10 expression pattern in humans associated with chronic bowel inflammation.