GASTRIC-MUCOSAL APOPTOSIS INDUCED BY ETHANOL - EFFECT OF ANTIULCER AGENTS

In this study, we investigated gastric epithelial cells' apoptosis and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) expression with ethanol-induc ed mucosal injury, and the effect of antiulcer agents on this process. Rats received intragastric pretreatment with the agent or vehicle fol lowed Ih later by ethanol, and after 30 min the gastric mucosa was ass essed for TNF-alpha and apoptosis. In the absence of antiulcer agents, ethanol caused extensive mucosal lesions accompanied by a 9.5-fold en hancement in apoptosis and a 2.5-fold increase in TNF-alpha. Pretreatm ent with omeprazole evoked a 54% reduction in TNF-alpha, but had no ef fect on ethanol-induced mucosal damage or apoptosis, the sucralfate re duced the extent of mucosal damage by 95%, apoptosis by 39% and TNF-al pha by 52%, while ebrotidine not only prevented mucosal injury and ris e in TNF-alpha, but also caused a 70% reduction in epithelial cells' a poptosis. The results demonstrate that ethanol-induced gastric epithel ial cells apoptosis triggered by the enhancement in mucosal TNF-alpha is efficiently counteracted by ebrotidine.