Study summary · research use only
Vasoactive intestinal peptide decreases inflammation and tight junction disruption in experimental necrotizing enterocolitis
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
In this mouse (C57BL/6) study, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was induced by gavage feeding, hypoxia, and lipopolysaccharide administration between postnatal day (P) 5 and 9. Four groups were compared: Control (n=6), Control+VIP (n=5), NEC (n=9), and NEC+VIP (n=9), with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) given by daily intraperitoneal injection from P5 to P9 in the VIP groups. Terminal ileum was harvested on P9. The abstract reports that NEC severity and intestinal inflammation (IL-6 and TNFα) were significantly decreased, and tight junction (Claudin-3) expression was significantly increased, in the NEC+VIP group compared to NEC alone. The authors describe VIP administration as having a therapeutic effect in NEC by reducing inflammation and tight junction disruption.
Abstract
Excessive inflammatory cell infiltration and accumulation in the intestinal mucosa are pathological features of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) leading to intestinal barrier disruption. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a potent anti-inflammatory agent that regulates intestinal epithelial barrier homeostasis. We previously demonstrated that VIP-ergic neuron expression is decreased in experimental NEC ileum, and this may be associated with inflammation and barrier compromise. We hypothesize that exogenous VIP administration has a beneficial effect in NEC. NEC was induced in C57BL/6 mice by gavage feeding, hypoxia, and lipopolysaccharide administration between postnatal day (P) 5 and 9. There were four studied groups: Control (n = 6): Breast feeding without stress factors; Control + VIP (n = 5): Breast feeding + intraperitoneal VIP injection once a day from P5 to P9; NEC (n = 9): mice exposed to NEC induction; NEC + VIP (n = 9): NEC induction + intraperitoneal VIP injection. Terminal ileum was harvested on P9. NEC severity, intestinal inflammation, (IL-6 and TNFα), and Tight junctions (Claudin-3) were evaluated. NEC severity and intestinal inflammation were significantly decreased in NEC + VIP compared to NEC. Tight junction expression was significantly increased in NEC + VIP compared to NEC. VIP administration has a beneficial therapeutic effect in NEC by reducing inflammation and tight junction disruption.
pepmg summarizes the peer-reviewed literature and links to every source — it sells nothing, ships nothing, and gives no medical, dosing, or human-use guidance. Don't just trust this summary: follow the citation to its source and read it yourself. Research use only.