The high prevalence of gastric ulceration underlines the importance of understanding the mechanisms. Based upon its multifactorial role vasopressin (VP) is supposed to be one of the contributory factors, however the data are contradictory. We intended to reevaluate the role of VP in development of gastric ulceration. Naturally VP-deficient Brattleboro rats were used and the indomethacine-induced gastric erosion model (35 mg/kg sc, 4 h) has been chosen because of its clinical importance. Since gastric mucosal vulnerability shows age-dependent alterations, we compared young (4 week old) rats to old ones (1 year old). The lack of VP resulted in attenuation of erosion formation in young rats, while aggravation in old ones. Four hours after indomethacin treatment adrenocorticotropin and corticosterone levels as well as blood glucose levels were higher in VP-deficient rats, independent of the age. Old VP-deficient Brattleboro rats had smaller thymuses. Our results demonstrate the age-dependent role of VP in susceptibility of gastric mucosa to indomethacin-induced injury. Probably the absence of VP per se is not the reason of the data obtained but also the hormonal and metabolic consequences of VP deficiency (e.g. short versus long-term corticosterone and blood glucose elevation as well as related immunodisturbances).
Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.