Effects of Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro peptide on the morphofunctional state of the colonic wall under prolonged restraint stress

Objective - histological examination of the structure and cellular composition of the colon wall in rats after administration of the peptide Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro under chronic immobilization stress.

Material and methods. The experiments were carried out on 45 male Wistar rats. All animals were divided into 5 groups of 9 animals each. In group 1 group, non-stressed animals received 0.9% NaCl solution; in group 2, animals were stressed and NaCl solution was administered; in groups 3, 4 and 5, stressed animals were administered tuftsin-PGP at doses of 80, 250 and 750 µg/kg, respectively. The animals were stressed for 28 consecutive days, the peptide was administered from the 15th to 28th experimental day. Histological examination of rat colon was performed, the depth of intestinal crypts and the number of goblet cells in them were determined. The number of granulocytes, plasma cells, lymphocytes, macrophages and mast cells in the lamina propria of the mucous layer was counted.

Results. Chronic stress in experimental animals (for 28 days) caused structural shifts and changes in the cellular composition of the colon wall with the development of signs of chronic inflammation in it. Application of the peptide tuftsin-PGP from day 15 to day 28 of the experiment contributed to a significant reduction in the severity of stress-induced changes in the parameters studied, with the greatest effect at a dose of 750 µg/kg.

Conclusion. Administration of taftsin-PGP peptide at doses of 250 and 750 µg/kg on the background of stressing promotes the correction of inflammatory stress-induced morphofunctional changes in the colon wall.

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