Effect of eflorithine on intestinal regeneration

J. S. Thompson, S. K. Saxena and J. G. Sharp
Omaha Veterans Administration Medical Center, NE.

Patching intestinal defects with adjacent serosal surfaces results in the growth of new intestinal mucosa. Since polyamine biosynthesis is associated with cellular growth and differentiation, it may be important in this regenerative process. Our aim was to determine the effect of eflorithine (difluoromethylornithine), a specific inhibitor of polyamine synthesis, on intestinal regeneration. Forty-eight New Zealand white rabbits had 2 x 5-cm ileal defects patched with adjacent cecal serosal surface. One half of the animals took 2% eflorithine in drinking water postoperatively. Six animals in each group were killed 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after patching. There was no significant difference in neomucosal growth at any time. Villous height, disaccharidase activity, and crypt cell production were significantly lower in the eflorithine-treated animals. Eflorithine-treated animals had significantly lower ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine levels. Despite the inhibitory effect of eflorithine on polyamine synthesis and proliferative activity, epithelialization and contraction of the patched defect were not affected. These findings suggest that polyamine synthesis is important in proliferation and differentiation of cells in the neomucosa but does not influence cell migration in intestinal regeneration.