ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the intestinal mucosal barrier function protective effect of ulinastatin in sepsis rats and its effect on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Methods One hundred SD rats were randomly divided into control group, sepsis group, ulinastatin group, XAV939+ulinastatin group and lithium chloride( LiCl) +ulinastatin group. The classical cecal ligation was used to duplicate sepsis model, and the jejunal mucosal injury was evaluated. The levels of inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α were detected by ELISA, and the expressions of β-catenin and cyclin D1 were detected by Real-time PCR and Western blotting. We also observed the effect of the Wnt signal pathway blockage by XAV939 or Wnt signal pathway activator by LiCl on ulinastatin protection of intestinal mucosa and proteins related to the Wnt signal pathway. Results The levels of IL-6, TNF-α and intestinal mucosal injury in the sepsis group were significantly higher than those in the ulinastatin group. The mRNA and protein expression levels of β- catenin and cyclin D1 in the sepsis group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), After ulinastatin treatment, the expression levels of β-catenin and cyclin D1 mRNA and protein were significantly decreased, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). Compared with the ulinastatin group, combined treatment with XAV939 promoted the protective effect of ulinastatin on the intestinal mucosa of rats, and the protein expression of β-catenin and cyclin D1 was reduced (P<0.05). Combined treatment with LiCl weakened the protective effect of ulinastatin on the intestinal mucosa of rats, and the protein expression of β-catenin and cyclin D1 was increased (P<0.05). Conclusion Ulinastatin may inhibit the Wnt signaling pathway by down-regulating the expression of β-catenin, reduce the expression of inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α, thereby promote repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier function damage.