Objective: To investigate the effect of recombinant rat ghrelin on gastric mucosa in rats with hemorrhagic shock.
Methods: Eighteen healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned into three groups: control group, hemorrhagic shock group, and ghrelin treatment group, with 6 rats for each group. The hemorrhagic shock model was reproduced in hemorrhagic shock group and ghrelin treatment group, and recombinant rat ghrelin (20 microg/kg) was intravenously administered to rats in ghrelin treatment group when resuscitation begun. Two hours after resuscitation, the gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF) was determined with laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). The light microscope and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to assess gastric mucosal injury.
Results: The GMBF of the rats in hemorrhagic shock group was significantly lower than that in control group [(260.4+/-49.6) bpu vs. (418.6+/-57.3) bpu, P<0.01], and the gastric mucosa was injured, presenting cell necrosis, cytolysis and focal ulceration. The GMBF of the rats in ghrelin treatment group was remarkably richer than that in hemorrhagic shock group [(352.9+/-72.9) bpu vs. (260.4+/-49.6) bpu, P<0.05], but had no significant difference compared with that in control group (P>0.05), and the gastric mucosa injuries were greatly improved in the rats of ghrelin treatment group.
Conclusion: Recombinant rat ghrelin, through enhancing the GMBF, can ameliorate the gastric mucosal ischemic/reperfusion injury in rats with hemorrhagic shock.