Summary
Rabbits fed freely with a 1% aqueous solution of degraded carrageenan developed a progressive colitis characterized after five days by severe inflammation and mucosal ulceration of the caecum. Histochemical and chemical studies indicated that there was a marked reduction in intracellular mucin and in the proportion of the epithelial glycoprotein sialic acids with substituents in the side chain and at position C4. Changes in theO-acylated sialic acids occurred rapidly and, apparently, prior to either mucosal ulceration or a significant inflammatory response.
Following the removal of carrageenan from the diet, there was evidence of progressive healing characterized by re-epitheliazation and a reduction in the inflammatory response until, at 12 days, the mucosa was comparatively normal. Healing was accompanied by an apparent increase in intracellular mucin and in the proportion of the epithelial glycoprotein sialic acids with substituents in the side chain and at position C4. Animals sacrificed 20 days after withdrawal of the carrageenan showed a renewal of ulceration characterized by an active inflammatory process, congestion, haemorrhage, and an inflammatory exudate consiting of a massive aggregation of cosinophils together with lymphocytes and plasma cells. This was accompanied by a reduction in the proportion of side chain and C4 substituted sialic acids.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abraham, R., Fabian, R. J., Golberg, L. &Coulston, F. (1974) Role of the lysosomes in carrageenan induced cecal ulcerations.Gastroenterology 67, 1169–81.
Al-Suhail, A. A., Reid, P. E., Culling, C. F. A., Dunn, W. L. &Clay, M. G. (1984) Studies of the degraded carrageenan induced colitis of rabbits: I. Changes in the epithelial glycoproteinO-acylated sialic acids associated with ulceration.Histochem. J. 16, 543–53.
Bercovitz, Z. T. &Sommers, S. C. (1966) Altered inflammatory reaction in non-specific ulcerative colitis.Archs intern. Med. 117, 504.
Culling, C. F. A., Reid, P. E., Trueman, L. S. &Dunn, W. L. (1973) A simple method for the isolation of viable epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal (G.I.) tract.Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. Med. 147, 434–8.
Culling, C. F. A., Reid, P. E., Dunn, W. L. &Clay, M. G. (1974) The histochemical demonstration ofO-acetylated sialic acid in the gastrointestinal mucin: their association with the potassium hydroxide-periodic acid-Schiff effect.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 22, 826–31.
Culling, C. F. A., Reid, P. E. &Dunn, W. L. (1979) A histochemical comparison of theO-acetylated sialic acids of the epithelial mucins in ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and normal controls.J. clin. Path. 32, 1272–77.
Goetzl, E. J., Boswell, R. &Austin, K. F. (1976) The tetrapeptide comprising eosinophil chemotactic factor of anaphylaxis.Fed. Proc. 35, 515.
Gray, C. H. (1968)Clinical Chemical Pathology, 5th edn, p. 214. London: Edward Arnold Ltd.
Grasso, P., Sharratt, M., Carpanini, F. M. B. &Gangolli, S. D. (1973) Studies on carrageenan and large bowel ulceration in mammals.Food Cosmet. Toxicol. 11, 555–64.
Hoskins, L. C. (1978) Degradation of mucus glycoproteins in the gastrointestinal tract. InThe Glycoconjugates. Vol. II (edited byHorowitz, M. I. andPigman, W.), pp. 235–53. New York, San Francisco, London: Academic Press.
Kay, A. B., Stechschulte, D. J. &Austine, K. F. (1971) An eosinophil leukocyte chemotactic factor of anaphylaxis.J. exp. Med. 133, 602–19.
Kirsner, J. B. (1970) Ulcerative colitis—recent development.Scand. J. Gastroenterol. 5, 63.
Kirsner, J. B. &Shorter, R. G. (1975)Inflammatory bowel disease. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger.
Onderdonk, A. B. &Barlet, J. G. (1979) Bacteriological studies of experimental ulcerative colitis.Am. J. clin. Nutr. 32, 258–65.
Perlman, P., Largercrant, R. & Hammarstrom, S. (1976) Lower gastrointestinal system. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease (regional enterocolitis). InImmunopathology (edited byMiescher, T. A. andMuller, E.), Vol. 2, 2nd edn, pp. 755–74.
Reid, P. E., Culling, C. F. A., Dunn, W. L., Clay, M. G. &Ramey, C. W. (1978) A correlative chemical and histochemical study of the acetylated sialic acids of human colonic epithelial glycoproteins in formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 26, 1033–41.
Reid, P. E., Culling, C. F. A., Dunn, W. L., Ramey, C. W., Magil, A. B., &Clay, M. G. (1980) Differences between theO-acetylated sialic acids of the epithelial mucins of human colonic tumours and normal controls: a correlative chemical and histochemical study.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 28, 217–22.
Reid, P. E., Culling, C. F. A., Dunn, W. L., Ramey, C. W., &Clay, M. G. (1984) Chemical and histochemical studies of normal and diseased human gastrointestinal tract: A comparison between histologically normal colon, colonic tumours, ulcerative colitis and diverticular disease of the colon.Histochem. J. 16, 235–52.
Reid, P. E., Culling, C. F. A., Ramey, C. W., Dunn, W. L. &Clay, M. G. (1977) A simple method for the determination of theO-acetyl substitution pattern of the sialic acids of colonic epithelial glycoprotein.Can. J. Biochem. 55, 493–503.
Reid, P. E., Culling, C. F. A., Tsang, W-C., Ramey, C. W., Dunn, W. L. &Clay, M. G. (1975) The demonstration ofO-acetylated sialic acids in colonic epithelial glycoproteins.Can J. Biochem. 53, 388–91.
Van Der Waaij, D., Cohen, B. J. &Anver, M. R. (1974) Mitigation of experimental inflammatory bowel disease by selective elimination of aerobic gram-negative intestinal microflora.Gastroenterology 67, 460.
Weller, P. F. &Goetzl, E. J. (1980) The human eosinophil; role in host defense and tissue injury.Am. J. Path. 100, 793–820.
Willoughby, C. P., Piris, J. &Trulove, S. C. (1979) Tissue eosinophils in ulcerative colitis.Scand. J. Gastroenterol. 14, 395–9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al-Suhail, A.A., Reid, P.E., Culling, C.F.A. et al. Studies of the degraded carrageenan-induced colitis of rabbits. II. Changes in the epithelial glycoproteinO-acylated sialic acids associated with the induction and healing phases. Histochem J 16, 555–564 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041355
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041355