Nicotine Inhibits Clostridium difficile Toxin A-Induced Colitis but Not Ileitis in Rats

Figure 2

Lack of effect of nicotine on toxin A-induced luminal fluid accumulation (a), MPO content (b), and histopathology in the ileum (c–f). Nicotine pretreatment had no effect on toxin A-stimulated ileal luminal fluid accumulation (a) or MPO content (b). versus control; versus control; . (c) Control section illustrating the normal histology of the rat ileum. (d) Nicotine (0.2 μg) alone had no effect on ileal histology. (e) Toxin A (5 μg) caused extensive inflammatory damage to the ileum including complete loss of villi, crypt distortion, surface ulceration, and influx of neutrophils. (f) Toxin A (5 μg) after pretreatment with 0.2 μg nicotine. This dose of nicotine was maximally effective against toxin A in the colon but did not protect the ileum. Line bar = 100 μm.

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