[Effects of acidic fibroblast growth factor on intestinal mucosal damage due to ischemia/reperfusion].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of exogenous acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of the intestine in rat, and to explore the mechanism of its protective effect. METHODS: The model of rat intestinal I/R injury was replicated by clamping the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) for 45 minutes followed by reperfusion. Seventy-eight Wistar rats were divided randomly into sham-operation group, intestinal I/R control group and aFGF treated group. In sham-operation group, SMA were separated but not occluded. Animals were sacrificed, samples of blood and tissue from the intestine were obtained 45 minutes after ischemia in sham-operation group and 0.5, 1, 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours after reperfusion in the other groups. Plasma D-lactate level was measured and rat survival rate was noted. Histological changes in intestinal tissue were observed under light microscope. RESULTS: The results showed that rat survival rate in aFGF treatment group was higher than that of intestinal I/R control group (P<0.05), and plasma D-lactate levels were markedly lower in aFGF group than that of intestinal I/R control group (P<0.05). Improvement in pathological changes was observed at 1, 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours after the reperfusion in aFGF treatment group compared with intestinal I/R control group. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that aFGF has a protective effect on intestinal I/R damage, and it may be related to the mitogenic effects and some hormone-like activities of aFGF.