HYDROGEN-SULFIDE PRODUCES DIMINISHED FATTY-ACID OXIDATION IN THE RAT COLON IN-VIVO - IMPLICATIONS FOR ULCERATIVE-COLITIS

Background: Several lines of evidence suggest a possible role for redu ced forms of sulphur (including sulphide) in ulcerative colitis. The a ims of this study were to assess the metabolic profile of colonic epit helial cells after treatment in vivo with hydrogen sulphide and correl ate this with mucosal histological appearances. Methods: Adult Sprague -Dawley rats had antegrade Roux-en-Y colostomies fashioned to allow ac cess to the 'in-flow' bowel. Animals were treated with 2 mL sodium hyd rosulphide (10, 20, 30 mmol/L) or saline control twice daily via the s toma for four (acute experiments) and 90 (chronic experiments) days. I solated colonic epithelial cell suspensions prepared from such animals were incubated in the presence of [1-C-14]-labelled n-butyrate (5 mmo l/L) or [6-C-14]glucose (5 mmol/L). Metabolic performance was measured radiometrically ((CO2)-C-14 production) and enzymatically (ketone bod y production and lactogenesis). The histological appearances of treate d mucosa were scored for acute inflammatory changes. Results: There wa s a highly significant reduction in (CO2)-C-14 production from both n- butyrate and glucose in all groups compared to the control in both acu te and chronic experiments. There was no difference between groups wit h respect to histological appearance and no evidence of acute inflamma tion in any specimen. Conclusions: Sodium hydrosulphide impairs rat co lonic epithelial metabolic performance in vivo, but does not produce m ucosal inflammation.