Cutaneous burn increases apoptosis in the gut epithelium of mice

Background: Gut mucosal homeostasis depends on a balance between cell proli feration and cell death. After cutaneous burn injury, gut mucosal weight ha s been shown to decrease. This decrease in weight was paradoxically associa ted with an increase in gut proliferative factors. For mucosal weight to de crease in the presence of increased proliferation, there must be an even gr eater increase in cell death. We postulate that cutaneous burn injury cause s an increase in gut epithelial cell death primarily by apoptosis. Study Design: We produced a 30% full-thickness scald burn in the dorsum of anesthetized mate C57BL6 mice and collected the proximal small bowel at 12, 24, 36, 48, and GO hours after injury. Sham burned animals served as contr ols. Apoptosis and proliferation were measured by immunohistochemical assay s (terminal deoxyuridine nick-end labeling for apoptosis and proliferative cell nuclear antigen assay for proliferation). Apoptosis was also measured by ELISA for cytoplasmic histone-associated DNA fragments. Mucosal height w as determined on histologic sections. The two groups were compared at each time point using Wilcoxon two-sample test and t-test with Bonferroni's corr ection where appropriate. Results: The percentage of apoptotic cells (number of cells stained by term inal deoxyuridine nick-end labeling per 100 villus cells) was significantly higher at 12, 24, and 48 hours after injury This increase was corroborated by an increase in the ELISA at 12 hours. Proliferation as measured by immu nostaining for proliferative cell nuclear antigen significantly increased a t 12, 24, 48, and GO hours. Mucosal height as a gross measure of mucosal at rophy was not different between the groups. Conclusions: We have shown an increase in apoptosis coupled with an increas e in proliferation after a burn injury. These results imply an increase in cell turnover in the gut epithelial cells after a burn. Impaired bowel func tion has been demonstrated repeatedly after burn injury, and this increase in cell turnover may be related. (J Am Coll Surg 1999;188:10-16 (C) 1999 by the American College of Surgeons).