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Imaging Inflammatory Hypoxia in the Murine Gut
Alyssa K Whitney1, Eric L Campbell2
1Mucosal Inflammation Program, Department of Medicine, GI Division, University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus, 12700 East 19th Avenue, P15-10026, Mailstop B146, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|June 2, 2016
Summary
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) cause chronic gastrointestinal inflammation. This study introduces methods to detect and measure "inflammatory hypoxia," a condition linked to IBD, in a mouse model.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Molecular Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are characterized by chronic gastrointestinal inflammation.
- These conditions involve distinct immune responses (Th1 for Crohn's, Th2 for ulcerative colitis) and inflammation patterns.
- Inflammatory episodes increase tissue metabolic demand, potentially leading to hypoxia when oxygen supply is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe novel methods for inducing, visualizing, and quantifying "inflammatory hypoxia" in vivo.
- To utilize the murine gut as a model system to study hypoxia in the context of gastrointestinal inflammation.
Main Methods:
- Induction of inflammatory conditions in a murine gut model.
- Visualization techniques to observe hypoxic regions within the gastrointestinal tract.
- Quantification assays to measure the extent and severity of hypoxia.
Main Results:
- Successful induction and visualization of "inflammatory hypoxia" in the murine gut.
- Development of methods to quantify hypoxic changes associated with inflammation.
- Establishment of a model system for studying hypoxia-driven adaptive pathways.
Conclusions:
- "Inflammatory hypoxia" is a key feature associated with IBD.
- The described methods provide a valuable tool for further research into the role of hypoxia in gastrointestinal diseases.
- Understanding hypoxia in IBD can lead to new therapeutic strategies.
