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An acute stressor enhances sensitivity to a chemical irritant and increases51CrEDTA permeability of the colon in adult rats

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Abstract

We investigated the effect of prior acute stress on colonic permeability induced by a chemical irritant known to induce symptoms similar to inflammatory bowel disease in rodents. Adult male rats (n=12) were stressed by a single session of ten unpredictable, uncontrollable foot shocks, and half were home cage controls (n=12). Twenty-nine days later, half of each treatment group was exposed to 4% DSS (dextran sulphate sodium) solution in their drinking water for 48 hours while half received pure water over two periods separated by 17 days. After food deprivation overnight and light isoflurane anaesthesia the following morning, the animals were given a colonic infusion of 2000 nCi (nanocurie)51CrEDTA (51Cr-labelled ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and then placed individually in metabolic cages for a six hours continuous urine collection. Radioactivity in urine was measured by a gamma counter and percentage recovery of51CrEDTA calculated as an indicator of colonic mucosal permeability. Results concluded that pre-shocked animals exposed to DSS showed significantly higher mucosal permeability than the pre-shocked animals given water, and the non-shocked animals given either DSS or water. Pre-shock in combination with two exposures to a chemical irritant separated by 17 days had a pronounced effect on colonic permeability, indicating that stress should be considered a possible initiating or contributory factor to increased intestinal permeability related to a mucosal challenge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Jonas Liesvei 91, 9th Floor, N-5009, Bergen, Norway

    Anne Marita Milde & Robert Murison

  2. Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5020, Bergen, Norway

    Gülen Arslan & Arnold Berstad

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Road, 55455-0280, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    J. Bruce Overmier

Authors
  1. Anne Marita Milde
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  2. Gülen Arslan
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  3. J. Bruce Overmier
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  4. Arnold Berstad
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  5. Robert Murison
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Correspondence to Anne Marita Milde.

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Milde, A.M., Arslan, G., Overmier, J.B. et al. An acute stressor enhances sensitivity to a chemical irritant and increases51CrEDTA permeability of the colon in adult rats. Integr. psych. behav. 40, 35–44 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02734187

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