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

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.

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.

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.

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.