The role of endotoxin in the pathogenesis of gastric mucosal damage in cirrhotic rats with portal hypertensive gastropathy

<正>Objective:To study the role and the mechanism of endotoxin in the pathogenesis of gastric mucosa during portal vein hypertension gastrography(PHG) in the rats with cirrhosis.Methods: Rat model for PHG was established by injection of tetrachloride.The animals were injected with endotoxin i.p.at 3 mg/kg and endotoxin antagonist BPI21 i.v.at 2.0 mg/kg.The plasma level of endotoxin as well as the gastric mucosal level of tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α) was measured with azobenzene and ELISA respectively.Furthermore,the pathological changes of the gastric mucosa were studied with HE stainning.Results:In rats with PHG,increased endotoxin and TNF-αas well as the gastric pathological lesion were observed.Injection of endotoxin remarkably increased plasma level of endotoxin as well as the gastric mucosal level of tumor necrosis TNF-αand induced more serious gastric lesion.Animals injected with endotoxin antagonist BPI21 showed improved gastric mucosal lesion,accompanied by the declining TNF-αlevel.Conclusions:Our results suggestes that endotoxin may play a pathogenetic role in PHG by inducing the expression of TNF-α.