The Effects Of Thalidomide On Experimental Colitis Induced By Dextran Sulfate Sodium In SD Rats

Aims: To investigate the effect of Thalidomide, which has the effect of immunomodulation and antiangiogenesis, on chronic experimental ulcerative colitis in SD rats.METHODS: Forty SD rats were divided into normal control group(group CON, n=10) and experimental group(group E, n=30). Group E were established Chronic experimental ulcerative colitis model by drinking 3% dextran sulfate sodium(DSS) solution for freedom, and then were divided into 3 groups(model group, group M, n=10; early administration group, group S1, n=10; later administration group, group S2, n=10). Group S1 were fed with thalidomide(200mg/kg/d) from 8th to 21st by gastric perfusion, and group S2 from 25th to 38th. Estimated disease active index(DAI), histological injury index(HI) , the mean vascular density(MVD) of colonic mucosa and the risk of microthrombosis of vascular. And the level of TNF-αand VEGF in serum were assessed, too.RESULTS: Compared to control group, model group's HI(1.9±1.2 in group CON vs vs 6.1±2.8 in group M, q=6.54, P<0.05) and MVD(61.1±9.8 vs 114.0±5.0, q=13.56, P<0.05) increased significantly; However, the serum level of TNF-α(265.4±56.8 vs 254.4±90.8, q=0.61, P>0.05) and VEGF(182.8±19.3 vs 194.7±34.9, F=2.671, v1=3, v2=34, P=0.063>0.05) had no significant difference. DAIs in group S1 (2.7±1.6,q=4.24,P<0.05) and group S2(3.0±1.7,q=3.60,P<0.05) were less respectively than in group M (4.7±1.8). Whereas, compared to HI in group M (6.1±2.8), HI in group S1 (6.0±1.7,q=0.17,P>0.05) and group S2(5.8±1.9 , q=0.48 , P>0.05) were not decreased predominantly. The differences of serum VEGF concentration among the 4 group had not statistical significance(CON:182.8±19.3,M:194.8±34.9,S1:169.7±13.6,S2:169.7±15.4,F=2.671,v1=3 , v2=34 , P=0.063>0.05). As for serum TNF-αlevel , compared to group M(254.4±90.8), group S1(159.3±20.7,q=4.96,P<0.05) and group S2(172.1±23.4,q=4.55,P<0.05) decreased obviously. And similarly, S1's MVD(89.8±15.1,q=6.05,P<0.05) and S2's(92.6±13.6,q=5.35,P<0.05) MVD were lower than M's(114.0±5.0). The distinctions of microthrombi positive rates among the 4 group had no statistic significance(χ2=3.982, v=3, P≈0.263).CONCLUSION: Thalidomide had the effects of anti-TNF-αand antiangiogenesis on UC rats, which ameliorated the DAI. However it didn't change the HI and did not increase the thrombosis risk in the colon mucosa.