Contribution of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I to the Healing of Colonic Anastomoses in Rats

• Published in: Journal of investigative surgery 2007, Vol.20 (1), p.9-14
• Main Authors: Zacharakis, Emmanouil, Demetriades, Haralampos, Kanellos, Dimitrios, Sapidis, Nikolaos, Zacharakis, Evangelos, Mantzoros, Ioannis, Kanellos, Ioannis, Koliakos, Georgios, Zaraboukas, Thomas, Topouridou, Konstantina, Betsis, Dimitrios
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abscess - etiology; Anastomosis, Surgical; Animals; Body Weight; Cell Count; Collagen - analysis; Colon - chemistry; Colon - drug effects; Colon - pathology; Colon - surgery; colonic anastomosis; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Fibroblasts - drug effects; Fibroblasts - physiology; healing; Hydroxyproline - analysis; Inflammation; Injections, Intraperitoneal; insulin-like growth factor I; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - administration & dosage; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - genetics; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - therapeutic use; Intestine, Small - pathology; Male; Neovascularization, Physiologic - drug effects; Omentum - pathology; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Postoperative Complications - prevention & control; Pressure; Random Allocation; rat; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recombinant Proteins - administration & dosage; Recombinant Proteins - therapeutic use; Single-Blind Method; Surgical Wound Infection - etiology; Tensile Strength; Tissue Adhesions - etiology; Wound Healing - drug effects; Wound Healing - physiology
• ISSN: 0894-1939; 1521-0553
• DOI: 10.1080/08941930601126074

The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the contribution of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF)-I in the colonic healing process when injected intraperitoneally after colon resection. Forty male Wistar rats were used. Rats in the control group were injected with 3 mL of a solution of 0.9% NaCl intraperitoneally after the operation and on postoperative day 2, 4, and 6. Rats in the IGF-I group received recombinant human IGF-I in a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally, immediately after the colonic anastomosis was performed and on postoperative day 2, 4, and 6. All rats were killed on postoperative day 7. The hydroxyproline tissue content was significantly higher in the IGF-1 group than in the control group. The bursting pressures were also significantly higher in IGF-1 group than in the control group. The weight change between the groups differed significantly; in the control group the average weight decreased about 5% postoperatively, while in the IGF-1 group the average weight increased about 6%. The average inflammatory cell infiltration score was significantly higher in the control group. Neoagiogenesis did not differ significantly between the two groups. The fibroblast activity differed significantly between the two groups, as the control group had significantly less fibroblasts compared to the IGF-1 group. In conclusion, IGF-I when given intraperitoneally stimulates the healing of colonic anastomoses in the rats. Further studies are required in order to determine whether this effect is dose related.