Abstract
Ulcerative colitis is characterized by dysfunctional motility. Our main objective in this investigation was to study the effect of an acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis on the expression and function of β<sub>3</sub>-adrenoceptors in the rat colon. Inflammation was induced by administering acetic acid intrarectally into rats. Levels of myeloperoxidase activity and β<sub>3</sub>-adrenoceptor mRNA were measured in colon samples taken following acetic acid administration. Relaxation responses to β<sub>3</sub>-adrenoceptor agonists were also studied. Ulcerative colitis was associated with significantly elevated levels of myeloperoxidase activity in the colon segments. Levels of β<sub>3</sub>-adrenoceptor mRNA as well as the relaxation responses to isoprenaline and BRL 37344 were however not significantly different between inflamed and control tissue. Acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats was not associated with changes in the expression and/or function of β<sub>3</sub>-adrenoceptors in the rat colon. Therefore, the dysfunctional motility that is characteristic of ulcerative colitis, is not likely to be due to changes in β<sub>3</sub>-adrenergic mechanisms in this model.
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