Objective: To investigate the protective effects of enteral immuno-nutrition on intestinal mucosa injury following severe burn.
Methods: Sixty-four Wistar rats with 30% total body surface area (TBSA) full-thickness burn were randomly divided into enteral nutrition (EN, n=32) group and enteral immuno-nutrition (EIN, n=32) group. Another 8 Wistar rats were used as normal control group. The concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in intestinal mucosa, the blood levels of diamine oxidase (DAO) activity and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were determined, and the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in intestinal mucosa was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PT-PCR) in control group and on 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th day postburn in EN and EIN group.
Results: Compared with that of before injury, the blood levels of DAO activity, TNF-alpha content, the concentration of sIgA and the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in intestinal mucosa were significantly increased in both EN and EIN groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). However, the blood levels DAO activity, TNF-alpha content, the concentration of sIgA on 4th, 7th and 10th postinjury days and the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in intestinal mucosa on 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th days postinjury in EIN group were significantly lower than those in EN group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
Conclusion: EIN can ameliorate the damage of the intestinal mucosa in burned rats compared with EN group. This might be related to an increase in the sIgA level and reduction of the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in intestinal mucosa.