Stimulation of ileal epithelium growth and regeneration by dietary nucleotide extracts

The gastrointestinal tract epithelium plays an important role not only in digestion and absorption of nutrients, but also in antigen and pathogen signal translocation toward the gut associated lymphoid tissue. Malnutrition in various degrees is recognized as the most common cause of the immune system dysfunction. Research done in the past several years has revealed that dietary nucleotides (dNT) represent an essential compound of nutrition because of their importance in metabolic pathways, energetic processes and nucleic acid synthesis during tissue renewal. Much evidence accumulated suggests that dNT are essential for the growth and maturation of the gut epithelia. In previous experiments we have documented immunoregulative properties of dNT-containing extracts. In this study Balb/c female mice were fed (1) standard diet, (2) dNT-supplemented diet, and (3) dNT-supplemented water for 4 weeks. The supplement in dose of 100 mg/kg/l comprised original extract (Imuregen, Uniregen Ltd., Náchod, Czech Republic). Samples of terminal ileum in each dietary group were removed for histological examination. The length of villi was evaluated by computer morphometry. The highest growth of intestinal villi was observed in group administered dNT-supplemented water. We have found no pathological changes of intestinal epithelium in any experimental group.