Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026
In Vitro Apical-Out Enteroid Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Published on: June 8, 2022
Enteral intestinal alkaline phosphatase administration in newborns decreases iNOS expression in a neonatal
Rebecca M Rentea1, Jennifer L Liedel, Katherine Fredrich
1Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin/Children's Research Institute, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. rrentea@mcw.edu
Purpose:
To determine if intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) decreases intestinal injury resulting from experimentally induced necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). We hypothesized that IAP administration prevents the initial development of NEC related intestinal inflammation.
Methods:
Pre- and full-term newborn Sprague-Dawley rat pups were sacrificed on day 1 of life. Pre-term pups were exposed to intermittent hypoxia and formula containing LPS to induce NEC. Select NEC pups were given 40, 4 or 0.4 units/kg of bovine IAP (NEC+IAP40u, IAP4u or IAP0.4u) enterally, once daily. Ileal sections were evaluated by real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) for IAP, iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α mRNA and immunofluorescence for 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT).
Results:
Experimentally induced NEC decreased IAP mRNA expression by 66% (p ≤ 0.001). IAP supplementation increased IAP mRNA expression to control. Supplemental enteral IAP decreased nitrosative stress as measured by iNOS mRNA expression and 3-NT staining in the NEC stressed pups (p ≤ 0.01), as well as decreased intestinal TNF-α mRNA expression. In addition, IAP decreased LSP translocation into the serum in the treated pups.
Conclusions:
We conclude that enterally administered IAP prevents NEC-related intestinal injury and inflammation. Enteral IAP may prove a useful strategy in the prevention of NEC in preterm neonates.
