Effect of surgical manipulation of the rat intestine on enterocyte populations

Background. The intestine is susceptible to operations at remote locations, and the barrier function is altered during intestinal manipulation, leadin g to bacterial or endotoxin translocation into the systemic circulation. On e of the mainstays for the maintenance of the integrity of the barrier func tion is epithelial cell proliferation and migration. The present study look ed at the effect of gut manipulation after laparotomy on different cell pop ulations of the intestinal epithelium. Methods. Surgical manipulation of the gut was performed by opening the abdo minal wall and handling the intestine, as is done during laparotomy. Villus and crypt cells were isolated at different time periods after gut manipula tion, and mitochondria were Prepared from isolated enterocytes. The effects of surgical manipulation on enterocytes and isolated mitochondria were stu died. Results. Mechanical manipulation of the gut resulted in alterations in the intestinal epithelium, as shown by decreased cell viability and yield in th e crypt cells. The alterations were associated with actin reorganization, a s well as with altered cell proliferation and adenosine deaminase activity. At the mitochondrial level, altered mitochondrial function, such as decrea sed respiratory control ratio, increased 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 d iphenyl tetrazolium bromide reduction, and induction of permeability transi tion in the crypt cells, was observed. These alterations were maximal 1 hou r after surgical manipulation and partially recovered to normal by 24 hours . Conclusions. Mechanical manipulation of the gut that occurs during any abdo minal operation induces alterations in the intestine, both at the cellular and the subcellular levels. The crypt cells bear the brunt of the damage, a nd the reversibility of the damage is possibly brought about by increased p roliferation and movement of the cells.