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

Figure 5

Effects of pretreatment with nicotine (0.2 μg) on capsaicin-induced (4 mg) luminal fluid accumulation (a) and MPO content (b) in the colon. Capsaicin is a direct TRPV1 agonist. Nicotine pretreatment had no effect on capsaicin-stimulated colitis in this model, unlike the effect of nicotine on toxin A-stimulated colitis as shown. versus control; versus control; . (c) Control section illustrating the normal histology of the rat colon; (d) capsaicin (4 mg) causes extensive inflammatory damage to the colon including loss of mucosal folding, crypt distortion, surface ulceration, and influx of neutrophils; (e) capsaicin (4 mg) after pretreatment with 0.2 μg nicotine. This dose of nicotine was maximally effective against toxin A in the colon but did not protect against capsaicin. Line bar = 100 μm.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)