Hematological and Immunological Characterizations of Experimental Ulcerative Colitis Rats: The Impact of Alcohol Consumption Pattern

BACKGROUND: Studies have documented the contributions of alcohol to ulcerative colitis (UC) development. The present study sought to determine the specific pattern of hematological and immunological indices in experimental ulcerative colitis rats exposed to different alcohol intervention schedules. METHODS: 28 female Wistar rats weighing between 150-200 g were randomly divided into control, non-alcohol colitis (NAC), low-frequency alcohol colitis (LAC) and high-frequency alcohol colitis (HAC) groups. Experimental UC was induced through a single intra-colic instillation of 1 ml/100g of 7% acetic acid and rats were administered 20% v/v of ethanol ad libitum. RESULTS: When compared with NAC group, LAC elicited a significant increase (P<0.05) in white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and myeloperoxidase while monocytes, lymphocytes, platelet, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione decreased. Also, HAC caused an increase in myeloperoxidase and a decrease in Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), neutrophils, platelet, SOD, catalase, glutathione and tumor necrosis factor (α-TNF) when compared with NAC group. On the other hand, LAC raised WBC, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, platelet, MCV and α-TNF but decreased lymphocyte and monocyte when compared with HAC group. Histological analyses also revealed disruption of normal colonic integrity in NAC, LAC, and HAC. CONCLUSION: Low-frequency alcohol intake was relatively more granulocytic, inflammatory, thrombocytic, macrocytic and agranulopenic in colitis female rats than high-frequency alcohol intake.