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Updated: Aug 1, 2025

Author Spotlight: Studying the Epithelial Effects of Intestinal Inflammation In Vitro on Established Murine Colonoids
Published on: June 2, 2023
Reduce the Changes in Histological Features of Colon Resulting from Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Mice by Worm
A Dawod Farhan1, N Y Al-Bayati2
1Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Diyala University, Baqubah, Iraq.
Abstract:
Ulcerative colitis is one of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) consequences characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The current study aims to determine the changes in colon tissue caused by induced Ulcerative Colitis and reduce these changes by worms' antigen. The study included 45 adult male albino mice (Mus musculus), with ages ranging between 8-10 weeks; the average weights ranged between 18-32 g. Ulcerative colitis was induced by intracolonic administration of 100 μL of 4% after they had been starved for 18 h. The animals were dissected after one week, and routine histological sections were conducted. The results of the histological study showed that in the colon of white mice treated with 4% acetic acid occurred, many histological changes were represented by the appearance of inflammatory cells in the mucous layer around the goblet cells, and the formation of vacuoles, necrosis at epithelium and intense congestion under the surface epithelium. The marked histological sections of the colon in mice with induced ulcerative colitis treated with helminth extract at a concentration of 0.1 mg/kg for a week, were showed that the histological changes began to decrease in the colon tissue, with the presence of a few inflammatory cells as well as little mucus secretion.
Insights
This study shows helminth extract can reduce colon tissue damage caused by induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. The extract decreased inflammation and mucus secretion, offering potential therapeutic benefits for UC.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Immunology
- Histopathology
Background:
- Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affecting the gastrointestinal tract.
- Current treatments for UC have limitations, necessitating exploration of novel therapeutic approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the histological changes in colon tissue induced by experimental UC in mice.
- To evaluate the efficacy of helminth antigen in mitigating these UC-induced histological alterations.
Main Methods:
- Ulcerative colitis was induced in 45 male albino mice using intracolonic administration of 4% acetic acid.
- Histological sections of colon tissue were analyzed after one week to assess inflammatory changes.
- Mice with induced UC were treated with a helminth extract (0.1 mg/kg) for one week to evaluate its therapeutic effect.
Main Results:
- Acetic acid-induced UC caused significant histological damage, including inflammatory cell infiltration, goblet cell changes, vacuolation, necrosis, and congestion in the colon.
- Treatment with helminth extract demonstrated a reduction in these histological changes.
- Reduced inflammatory cell presence and mucus secretion were observed in the colons of mice treated with helminth extract.
Conclusions:
- Helminth extract shows potential in ameliorating histological damage associated with experimental ulcerative colitis.
- These findings suggest helminth antigens may possess therapeutic properties for managing inflammatory bowel disease.

