PURPOSE: To evaluate the bowel lesions of rats after immunization against self intestinal proteins. METHODS: A 40% colonic solution was made in pH 7,4 PBS, followed by maceration, purification, inactivation and SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Twenty Wistar rats were submitted to the following immunization schedule: Subcutaneous and intramuscular sensibilization with antigen solution emulsified in Freund's complete adjuvant. Intramuscular booster with pure antigen suspension. In this phase, were investigated anti-intestinal antibodies by single radial immunodiffusion and histologic evaluation of colon samples. Challenge by intraperitoneal route with antigenic solution and clinical observation. The animals were sacrificed and had collected colon samples for histologic evaluation. RESULTS: The antigenic suspension presented eight protein with molecular weight between 80 and 420 kD. After six days of the intraperitoneal challenge they had presented: blepharitis, diarrhea, alopecia, apathy and hematochezia. Histological evaluation of this immunological IBD animal model showed ulceration of distal colon, mucosa leucocyte infiltration, edema in submucosa layer and significant crypts degeneration. Anti-intestinal antibodies were present in all of animals. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that was possible to reproduce IBD in rats, as well as the presence of anti-intestinal antibodies was related to histologic features of colon in immunizated rats.
Experimental inflammatory bowel disease; intestinal antigens; Anti-intestinal antibodies; Rats; Electrofocusing
