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A spectrum of intestinal injury models in neonatal mice

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Abstract

Purpose

To compare the degree of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)-like damage under different stress conditions in neonatal mice.

Methods

5-day-old C57BL/6 mice were assigned to: (A) breastfed and no stress factors; (B) breastfed+maternal separation (3 h daily); (C) breastfed+hypoxia+lipopolysaccharide (LPS–4 mg/kg/day); (D) hyperosmolar formula+hypoxia+LPS. Mice were killed at 9 days of life. Ileum and colon were stained for hematoxylin/eosin and blindly assessed. A scoring ≥2 was considered NEC. Data were compared using one-way ANOVA and reported as median (range).

Results

Ileum—Mucosal injury was mild in group B (0.0–1). Hypoxia+LPS induced greater injury in group C (1.6, 1–2.5; p < 0.0001 to B) and D (2, 0.5–3.5; p < 0.0001 to B). There were no differences between group C and D (p = n.s.). There were no cases of NEC in group A or B, whereas NEC was present in 36 % group C and 68 % group D mice. Colon—a similar degree of mucosal injury was observed among group B (2, 1–3), C (1.7, 0–3) and D (1.5, 1–3; p = n.s.). NEC was present in 75 % of group B, 50 % of group C and 86 % of group D.

Conclusion

These models establish a spectrum of intestinal injury and are useful to investigate the variability of neonatal intestinal diseases, such as NEC.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the endowment of the Robert M Filler Chair of Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General and Thoracic Surgery, Physiology and Experimental Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 1526-555 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada

    Augusto Zani, Elke Zani-Ruttenstock, Forouhideh Peyvandi, Carol Lee, Bo Li & Agostino Pierro

  2. University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Agostino Pierro

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  1. Augusto Zani
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  2. Elke Zani-Ruttenstock
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  3. Forouhideh Peyvandi
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Correspondence to Agostino Pierro.

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Zani, A., Zani-Ruttenstock, E., Peyvandi, F. et al. A spectrum of intestinal injury models in neonatal mice. Pediatr Surg Int 32, 65–70 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-015-3813-x

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