NEUTROPHIL DEPLETION DOES NOT PREVENT INDOMETHACIN-INDUCED ULCERATIONOF THE RAT GASTRIC ANTRUM

Indomethacin-induced ulceration of the rat gastric antrum is parallele d by an increase in blood neutrophil numbers and of neutrophil infiltr ation into the antrum. Thus, in this study, neutrophil depletion has b een employed to study the potential role of neutrophils in the pathoge nesis of indomethacin-induced ulceration of the rat gastric antrum. Pr etreatment with an anti-neutrophil serum (ANS) induced a near complete neutropaenia and inhibition of neutrophil infiltration into the gastr ic antrum (as assessed by antral LTB(4) release). In contrast, ANS pre treatment did not alter the area of indomethacin-induced mucosal damag e detected microscopically. Our results suggest that, in contrast to p ublished reports examining fundic ulceration, neutrophil infiltration does not contribute to the ulcerogenic effects of indomethacin in the rat gastric antrum.