The aim of this study was to determine the effect of portal hypertensi
on (PHT) on gastric mucosal glycoproteins in rats. PHT was induced exp
erimentally by partial ligation of the portal vein (PVL) in 20 male Wi
star rats: 10 rats (PVL4 group) were analyzed after 4 weeks and the re
maining 10 (PVL8 group) after 8 weeks. In another group of 10 rats (co
ntrol group), sham operations were performed. The severity of gastric
mucosal lesions was evaluated macroscopically by a gross ulcer index.
The gross ulcer indices in the PVL groups were significantly higher th
an those in the controls (p < 0.05). Histomorphometric evaluation of t
he intraepithelial mucin content, with the periodic acid-Schiff-Alcian
blue staining technique, confirmed a significant decrease in mucosal
glycoprotein production in the PVL groups (p < 0.05). Quantitative cha
nges in gastric mucosal hexosamines were also used for mucosal glycopr
otein analyses, and the hexosamine content of the gastric mucosa in th
e control, PVL4 and PVL8 groups were 300.7 +/- 7.8, 177.2 +/- 4.9 and
169.1 +/- 3.5 mu g/100 mg dried mucosa, respectively. The gastric muco
sal hexosamine content was significantly lower in the PVL groups than
in the control group (p < 0.05). No significant differences were obser
ved between the two PVL groups in the above-studied parameters. These
findings reveal that PHT causes a decrease in gastric mucosal glycopro
teins in rats, and the decreased mucin content may weaken an important
defensive factor of gastric mucosa. We suggest that gastric mucosal g
lycoproteins may play an important role in the pathogenesis of gastric
mucosal lesions from PHT.