ABSTRACT
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-α as 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-α and induced more serious gastric lesion. Animals injected with endotoxin antagonist BPI21 showed improved gastric mucosal lesion, accompanied by the declining TNF-α level.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Our results suggestes that endotoxin may play a pathogenetic role in PHG by inducing the expression of TNF-α.