Protective effect of melatonin on intestinal mucosal injury in intermittent hypoxic rats
- 1Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, North China University of Science and Technology Affiliated Hospital
- 2North China University of Science and Technology School of Clinical Medicine
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the effects of melatonin (MT) on intestinal mucosal injury associated with intermittent hypoxic (HI) in rats.
Methods: Thirty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control (Ctrl), HI, MT groups (n = 12 per group). Each group was further divided into 2- and 4-week subgroups (n = 6 per group per time point), with different animals used at the two terminal sampling time points. Rats in the Ctrl group were exposed to compressed air, whereas rats in the HI and MT groups underwent intermittent hypoxia for 7 h daily. MT (20 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally before each daily exposure, while rats in the Ctrl and HI groups received an equivalent volume of vehicle. At the designated 2- or 4-week endpoint, the sampling procedure was initiated immediately after completion of the final daily exposure. Small intestinal tissue and central venous blood were collected. Intestinal histopathological changes were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and Chiu scoring, and villus area, height, thickness, and crypt depth were measured. Serum ROS, MDA, SOD, and DAO levels were determined.
Result: Intermittent hypoxia was associated with intestinal histopathological injury and significant reductions in villus area, villus height, villus thickness, and crypt depth at both 2 and 4 weeks. At 2 weeks, no significant differences in villus morphometric parameters were observed between the MT and HI groups, at 4 weeks, villus area and height were significantly greater in the MT group than in the HI group. At 2 weeks, SOD activity was significantly higher in the MT group than in the HI group, whereas ROS, MDA, and DAO levels did not differ significantly between these groups. At 4 weeks, the MT group showed significantly lower ROS, MDA, and DAO levels and significantly higher SOD activity than the HI group. Histological findings also indicated less severe intestinal mucosal injury in MT-treated rats.
Conclusion: Intermittent hypoxia was associated with intestinal mucosal injury and changes in oxidative stress-related biochemical indicators in rats. Melatonin treatment was associated with attenuation of histopathological injury and a more favorable biochemical profile, with these differences being more evident at 4 weeks.
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BibTeX
@article{chen2026protective,
title = {{Protective effect of melatonin on intestinal mucosal injury in intermittent hypoxic rats}},
author = {QianCheng Chen and Ziyang Zeng and JiaFeng Luo and XinHao Yuan and AiJing Guo and Jiabin Zhang and Aishuang Fu and YanLei Ge},
journal = {Frontiers in Pharmacology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fphar.2026.1982966},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2026.1982966/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Protective effect of melatonin on intestinal mucosal injury in intermittent hypoxic rats
AU - QianCheng Chen
AU - Ziyang Zeng
AU - JiaFeng Luo
AU - XinHao Yuan
AU - AiJing Guo
AU - Jiabin Zhang
AU - Aishuang Fu
AU - YanLei Ge
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - Frontiers in Pharmacology
DO - 10.3389/fphar.2026.1982966
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2026.1982966/full
AB - Objective: To investigate the effects of melatonin (MT) on intestinal mucosal injury associated with intermittent hypoxic (HI) in rats. Methods: Thirty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control (Ctrl), HI, MT groups (n = 12 per group). Each group was further divided into 2- and 4-week subgroups (n = 6 per group per time point), with different animals used at the two terminal sampling time points. Rats in the Ctrl group were exposed to compressed air, whereas rats in the HI and MT groups underwent intermittent hypoxia for 7 h daily. MT (20 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally before each daily exposure, while rats in the Ctrl and HI groups received an equivalent volume of vehicle. At the designated 2- or 4-week endpoint, the sampling procedure was initiated immediately after completion of the final daily exposure. Small intestinal tissue and central venous blood were collected. Intestinal histopathological changes were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and Chiu scoring, and villus area, height, thickness, and crypt depth were measured. Serum ROS, MDA, SOD, and DAO levels were determined. Result: Intermittent hypoxia was associated with intestinal histopathological injury and significant reductions in villus area, villus height, villus thickness, and crypt depth at both 2 and 4 weeks. At 2 weeks, no significant differences in villus morphometric parameters were observed between the MT and HI groups, at 4 weeks, villus area and height were significantly greater in the MT group than in the HI group. At 2 weeks, SOD activity was significantly higher in the MT group than in the HI group, whereas ROS, MDA, and DAO levels did not differ significantly between these groups. At 4 weeks, the MT group showed significantly lower ROS, MDA, and DAO levels and significantly higher SOD activity than the HI group. Histological findings also indicated less severe intestinal mucosal injury in MT-treated rats. Conclusion: Intermittent hypoxia was associated with intestinal mucosal injury and changes in oxidative stress-related biochemical indicators in rats. Melatonin treatment was associated with attenuation of histopathological injury and a more favorable biochemical profile, with these differences being more evident at 4 weeks.
SN - 1663-9812
ER -