Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ultrastructure of tight junctions in prostaglandin-exposed rat stomach

  • Prostaglandins in the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract: Focus on Misoprostol
  • Cytoprotective Effect of Misoprostol (Preclinical Studies)
  • Published:
Digestive Diseases and Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effect of intragastric misoprostol, a synthetic prostaglandin E1 methyl ester analog, on the morphology of rat stomach was studied by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats received misoprostol at dose levels ranging from 50 to 1000 μg/kg body weight and were sacrificed after 30 min. At all dose levels, normal organelle ultrastructure was maintained in epithelial cells on the surface, within gastric pits, and lining the gastric glands. Quantitative freeze-fracture electron microscopy was used to examine the influence of misoprostol on epithelial-cell tight junctions, major structural components of the mucosal barrier. The numbers of intramembrane fibrils and the depths of the tight-junction complexes did not differ significantly between controls and animals exposed to 1000 μg/kg misoprostol (P<0.05). Therefore, alterations in gastric epithelial tight-junction ultrastructure do not appear to account for the cytoprotective effect of misoprostol.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Robert A, Nezamis JE, Hanchar AJ: Cytoprotection by prostaglandins in rats. Prevention of gastric necrosis produced by alcohol, NCl, NaOH, hypertonic NaCl, and thermal injury. Gastroenterology 77:433–443, 1979

    Google Scholar 

  2. Robert A, Lancaster C, Hanchar AJ, Nezamis JE: Mild irritants prevent gastric necrosis through prostaglandin formation: Histology study. Gastroenterology 74:1086, 1978 (abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Lacy ER, Ito S: Microscopic analysis of ethanol damage to rat gastric mucosa after treatment with a prostaglandin. Gastroenterology 83:619–625, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  4. Wallace JL, Morris JP, Krausse EJ, Greaves SE: Reduction by cytoprotective agents of ethanol-induced damage to the rat gastric mucosa: A correlated morphological and physiological study. Can J Physio Pharmacol 60:1686–1699, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  5. Guth RH, Paulsen G, Nagata H: Histologic and microcirculatory changes in alcohol-induced gastric lesions in the rat: Effect of prostaglandin cytoprotection. Gastroenterology 87:1083–1090, 1984

    Google Scholar 

  6. Schmidt KL, Henagan JM, Smith GS, Hilburn PJ, Miller TA: Prostaglandin cytoprotection against ethanol-induced gastric injury in the rat. A histologic and cytologic study. Gastroenterology 88:649–659, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  7. Pauli BU, Weinstein BS: Correlations between cell surface protease activities and abnormalities in occludens junctions in rat bladder carcinomain vitro. Cancer Res 42:2289–2297, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ito S: Functional gastric morphology.In Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract. LR Johnson (ed). New York, Raven Press, 1981, pp 517–550

    Google Scholar 

  9. McNutt NS, Weinstein RS: Membrane ultrastructure at mammalian intercellular junctions. Prog Biophys Mol Biol 26:45–102, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  10. Staehelin LA: Structure and function of intercellular junctions. Int Rev Cytol 39:191–283, 1974

    Google Scholar 

  11. Bullivant S: Possible relationship between tight junction structure and function.In Epithelial Ion and Water Transport. JP Leader (ed). New York, Raven Press, 1981, pp 265–275

    Google Scholar 

  12. da Silva P, Kachar B: On tight junction structure. Cell 28:441–450, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  13. Meyer RA, McGinley D, Posalaky Z: The gastric mucosal barrier: Structure of intercellular junctions in the dog. J Ultrastruct Res 86:192–201, 1984

    Google Scholar 

  14. Miller TA: Protective effects of prostaglandins against gastric mucosal damage: Current knowledge and proposed mechanisms. Am J Physiol 245:G601-G623, 1983

    Google Scholar 

  15. Claude P, Goodenough DA: Fracture faces of zonulae occludentes from “tight” and “leaky” epithelia. J Cell Biol 58:390–400, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  16. Merk FB, Pauli BU, Jacobs JB, Alroy J, Friedell GH, Weinstein RS: Malignant transformation of urinary bladder in humans and in FANFT-exposed Fischer rats. Ultrastructure of the major components of the permeability barrier. Cancer Res 37:2843–2853, 1977

    Google Scholar 

  17. Weinstein RS, Merk FB, Alroy J: Structure and function of intercellular junctions in cancer. Adv Cancer Res 23:23–89, 1976

    Google Scholar 

  18. Eastwood GL, Kirchner JP: Changes in the fine structure of mouse gastric epithelium produced by ethanol and urea. Gastroenterology 67:71–84, 1974

    Google Scholar 

  19. Forte TM, Silen W, Forte JG: Ultrastructural lesions in gastric mucosa exposed to deoxycholate: Implications toward the barrier concept.In Gastric Hydrogen Ion Secretion. DK Kasbekar, G Sachs, WS Rehm (eds). New York, Dekker, 1977, pp 1–28

    Google Scholar 

  20. Diamond JM: Channels in epithelial cell membranes and junctions. Fed Proc 37:2639–2644, 1978

    Google Scholar 

  21. Makhlouf GM: Electrolyte composition of gastric secretion.In Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract. LR Johnson (ed). New York, Raven Press, 1981, pp 551–566

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, 1753 West Congress Parkway, 60612, Chicago, Illinois

    Ronald S. Weinstein MD, Barbara F. Banner MD, Jerome R. Kuszak PhD, Neil J. Thomas BS & Bendicht U. Pauli DVM

Authors
  1. Ronald S. Weinstein MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Barbara F. Banner MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jerome R. Kuszak PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Neil J. Thomas BS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Bendicht U. Pauli DVM
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Weinstein, R.S., Banner, B.F., Kuszak, J.R. et al. Ultrastructure of tight junctions in prostaglandin-exposed rat stomach. Digest Dis Sci 31 (Suppl 2), 115S–119S (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01309334

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01309334

Keywords

Search

Navigation