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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #129214
Title: EFFECTS OF CAPSAICIN ON INTESTINAL EPITHELIUM AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM INFECTION IN INFANT RATS

Author
item AKILI, DHUHA - IOWA STATE UNIV., AMES
item SONEA, IOANA - IOWA STATE UNIV., AMES
item Harp, James

Submitted to: Conference Research Workers Disease Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Considerable evidence exists for a link between the nervous system and the immune system. Capsaicin destroys a subset (C fibers) of afferent nerve fibers when administered to newborns. In the present study, we examined the effects of capsaicin on intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and maturation, and the ability to resist infection with the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum. Infant rats were treated with subcutaneous injections of capsaicin or vehicle (controls) at 2 days of age, and then orally inoculated with C. parvum at 7 days of age. Rats were killed at 2 and 3 weeks of age, and assessed for expression of intestinal disaccharidases, epithelial cell proliferation, and C. parvum infection. At both 2 and 3 weeks, rats treated with capsaicin were less heavily infected with C. parvum compared with controls (significant at 2 weeks, P less than 0.01). At 2 weeks, lactase activity was significantly (P less than 0.05) decreased in treated compared with control rats. At 3 weeks, sucrase activity was decreased and lactase activity was increased in treated compared with control rats. Epithelial cell proliferation was slightly decreased in treated compared with control rats at both and 2 and 3 weeks. These results suggest that altering the afferent innervation of the intestine modifies epithelial cell proliferation and maturation. This, in turn, may affect the susceptibility of the intestinal epithelium to colonization with C. parvum.