Immune cell distribution in gut-associated lymphoid tissue and synthesis of IL-6 in experimental porcine peritonitis

This study aimed to evaluate the possibility to detect early changes in gut -associated lymphoid tissue related to an inflammatory response, Anaestheti sed pigs were subjected to faecal peritonitis (n = 9) or to a sham procedur e (n = 8), Blood from the vena cava and the superior mesenteric vein was re peatedly sampled, and the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) were analysed, Bio psies of the small intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), harvested a t 300 min, were incubated with monoclonal antibodies specific for CD2 (T ly mphocytes), IgM (B lymphocytes) and CD11a/CD18 (leucocyte adhesion molecule ). The number of positive (+) cells was scored, During peritonitis, IL-6 in creased significantly. Compared to controls, the number of CD2+ cells decre ased, IgM+ cells tended to increase and CD11a/CD18+ cells increased in the mucosa during peritonitis, In MLNs, the number of cells positive for all st udied markers increased during peritonitis. We conclude that peritonitis ca uses an inflammatory response in the gut reflected by changes in the distri bution of immune cells in gut-associated lymphoid tissue and release of IL- 6 to venous blood. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.