Role of bile acids, prostaglandins and COX inhibitors in chronic esophagitis in a mouse model.

AIM: To develop a new experimental model of esophagitis that serves a complementary tool to clinical investigation in an insight into the mechanism of the damage to the esophagus mucosa by aggressive factors, and role of COX inhibitors in this process. METHODS: The study was conducted in 56 male mice. Animals were divided into seven groups: (1) perfused with HCl, (2) perfused with HCl and physiologic concentration of pepsin (HCl/P), (3) perfused with similar HCl/P solution enriched with conjugated bile acids (glycho- and tauro-sodium salts) designated esophageal infusion catheter under the general anesthesia, (4) perfused as in group 2 treated with indometacin, (5) perfused as in group 2 treated with NS-398, (6) perfused as in group 3 treated with indometacin, and (7) perfused as in group 3 treated with NS-398. The esophagus was divided into 3 parts: upper, middle and lower. The PGE2 concentration was measured in all parts of esophagus using RIA method. Esophagus of sacrificed animals was macroscopically evaluated using a low power dissecting microscope (20x). Specimens, representing the most frequently seen changes were fixed, stained with H&E and assessed microscopically using the damage score, and inflammatory score. RESULTS: The macroscopic changes were significantly severer in HCl/P than those in HCl animals (77%) and in HCl/P/BA group (43%). In HCl/P NS-398 group we noticed significantly less changes than those in not treated group (42%) and in analogical group treated with indometacin (45%). In HCl/P/BA INDO group we observed significantly severer changes than that in not treated group (52%). We noticed less changes in HCl/P NS-398 than that in group with indometacin (46%). In HCl/P/BA NS-398 group we had less changes than that in indometacin group (34%). The microscopic changes observed in HCl/P/BA INDO group were severer than that in not treated group (48%). Esophagitis index in HCl group was significantly lower than in HCl/P and also HCl/P/BA group (32% and 33%). In HCl/P/BA/INDO group the esophagitis surface was larger than that in not treated group (33%). In HCL/P group the surface of esophagus with ulceration was significantly larger (10-fold) than that in HCl/P/BA group. The PGE2 concentration was significantly higher in HCl/P group than in HCl/P/BA group. The PGE2 concentration in lower part of esophagus was also significantly higher in middle than those in HCl and HCl/P/BA groups. In upper part of esophagus the PGE2 concentration was significantly higher in HCl/P/BA group than that in group treated with indometacin (46%). We also observed higher PGE2 concentration in middle part of esophagus in HCl/P/BA group than those in group treated with indometacin and in group treated with indometacin and NS-398 (by 52% and 43% respectively). CONCLUSION: Pepsin is the pivotal factor in the development of chronic esophageal injury. Bile acids diminish chronic esophageal injury induced by HCl/P, indicating its potential negative impact on pepsin proteolytic potential, pivotal for mucosal injury in low pH. The role of selective COX inhibitors is still unclear, and needs more investigations. This novel chronic experimental esophagitis is an excellent model for further study on the role of cytokines in genetically modified animals.

Delivery of MUC1 mucin peptide by Poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres induces type 1 T helper immune responses.

Synthetic peptides corresponding to the variable tandem repeat domain of the cancer-associated antigen MUC1 mucin are candidates for cancer vaccines. In our investigation mice were immunized via subcutaneous injection with poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres containing a MUC1 mucin peptide. It was hypothesized that microencapsulation of the MUC1 mucin peptide would prime for antigen-specific Th1 responses while avoiding the need for traditional adjuvants and carrier proteins. Furthermore, an immunomodulator, monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), was incorporated into the peptide-loaded PLGA microspheres based on its ability to enhance Th1 responses. The results revealed T cell specific immune responses. The cytokine secretion profiles of the T cells consisted of high levels of interferon-gamma with undetectable levels of interleukin-4 and interleukin-10. Moreover, incorporation of MPLA in the MUC1 peptide-loaded PLGA microspheres resulted in an increase in interferon-gamma production. The antibody response was negative for IgM and IgG in the absence of MPLA; however, in the presence of MPLA antibody production was negative for IgM with a minimal IgG response consisting of IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgG3. Based on the antibody and cytokine profiles, it was concluded that MUC1 mucin peptide-loaded PLGA microspheres are capable of eliciting specific Th1 responses, which may be enhanced through the use of MPLA.

Use of a liposome antigen delivery system to alter immune responses in vivo.

It has been reported that a certain peptide encompassing residues 129-140 of the hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) leads to a Th2-type response in C57BL/10 mice. We postulated that by formulating the peptide in liposomes along with an immune modulator known as MPLA the immune response could be directed toward a Th1-type response. If these liposomes could deliver the peptide along with MPLA to antigen presenting cells, then the immune response generated could be polarized to a Th1 response. The type of immune response initiated after immunization with the peptide HBcAg (126-140) in different formulations was determined by an ex vivo T cell proliferation assay and by analysis of the cytokine profile of the proliferating T cells. A group of C57BL/6 mice immunized with peptide plus MPLA in a liposome formulation displayed a strong T cell proliferative response. The T cell subset was identified as Th1 based on the cytokine profile. The cytokine profiles showed significant production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma, a Th1-type cytokine) and extremely low levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4, a Th2-type cytokine). The control group of C57BL/6 mice immunized with peptide plus alum showed a very low level of T cell proliferation, and no increase was seen in IFN-gamma or IL-4 production. These data signify that a Th1-type response occurred in mice treated with peptide in a liposome formulation but not in mice treated with the control formulation.