A Novel Experimental Method for the Study of Intestinal Paralysis due to Endotoxicosis

Abstract

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is thought to be the causal agent of paralytic ileus in sepsis. We have reported that contraction of taenia caecum isolated from guinea pigs is suppressed by LPS. In the present study, we tried to create a new experimental method for the study of intestinal paralysis induced by LPS with continuously recorded changes in the movement of taenia caecum of conscious guinea pigs. Laparotomy was performed under pentobarbital anesthesia in guinea pigs, and a microforce transducer was sutured on taenia caecum. After operation, the guinea pigs were allowed to eat and drink freely. Four days later, LPS (E. coli, O111:B4) was injected into the abdominal cavity, and the movement of taenia caecum was recorded. Changes in body temperature after the administration of LPS were measured successively. Intestinal contraction movements in conscious guinea pigs were recorded in a stable manner for many hours. The characteristic relaxing action of taenia caecum was that it peaked between 2 and 4 hours after administration of LPS and that it was dependent on the LPS-dose. Body temperature changed in good correlation to the tension of taenia caecum. The above results suggest that the novel method, monitoring the intestinal movement of conscious guinea pigs, is a useful experimental model for the study of intestinal paralysis due to endotoxicosis.