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Abstract
Background: The role of mast cells in Crohn disease (CD) remains to be established. The aim of this study was to elucidate this in the development of CD-like colitis in rats by the use of mast-cell-deficient Ws/Ws and their control W+/W+ rats. Methods: CD-like colitis was induced in both groups by an enema of 10 mg of 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in 50% ethanol. Colonic damage, adhesion and colonic weight were measured at 7 and 14 days after the TNBS/ethanol enema. Rat mast cell protease-2 (RMCP-2) in the colonic tissue was also measured at 7 days after the enema. Results: There was no significant difference between W+/W+ and Ws/Ws rats in terms of colonic damage, adhesion or colonic weight. The tissue content of RMCP-2 in Ws/Ws rats treated with either saline or TNBS/ethanol was only maintained at a much lower level than that in W+/W+ rats with the corresponding treatment. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that mast cells are not essential in the development of 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis in rats.