Effect of Dexamethasone on Mucosa Morphology in Piglets

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of dexamethasone on the morphology of intestinal mucosa and intestinal immune barrier function, and study the feasibility of setting up the piglets intestinal damage model, which could provide a theoretical and scientific basis for the future research of the mechanism and prevention measures caused by other intestinal injury of glucocorticoids. 30 healthy piglets (1 week after weaning) were randomly divided into 6 groups, with 5 replicates in each group. The experimental groups Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were injected with dexamethasone 1, 2 and 3 mL, the control groups Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were injected with saline 1, 2 and 3 mL,respectively. HE staining,PAS staining and ELISA detection method were used to measure the intestinal villus length and crypt depth, villus length and crypt depth ratio, goblet cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes and sIgA. The results were as follows:Dexamethasone inhibited the growth of intestinal villus, the crypt depth became deeper, villus length and crypt depth ratio decreased,and the number of goblet cells, intraepithelial lymphocytes and sIgA levels were reduced in experimental groups, and the greater the dose, the more obvious the indicators changed. It suggested that dexamethasone could affect the growth of intestinal villus and the intestinal absorption of nutrients, damage mucosal immune barrier function in a dose dependent.