Gene expression in intestinal epithelial cells, IEC-6, is altered by burn injury-induced circulating factors.

Severe burn injury is commonly associated with significant changes in intestinal epithelial function. These changes include mucosal atrophy and increased permeability. To date, the mechanism by which burn injury alters intestinal epithelium function are not clear. We used an in vitro model of intestinal epithelium, IEC-6 cells, and observed that the integrity of confluent culture is disrupted and cell growth and migration rates are reduced in the presence of serum collected from scald burn injury rats (SRS) (6). To identify gene products involved in mechanisms underlying these effects, we used the cDNA expression microarray analysis and found that genes whose expression was affected by SRS in IEC-6 cells were primarily associated with cell shape, growth and death, stress-response, protein turnover and transport of water and electrolytes. These data demonstrate that a burn-induced circulating factor(s) modulates expression of genes, which may affect intestinal epithelial cell survival and function. Thus, these findings provide clues to the nature of molecular mechanisms potentially involved in multiple-organ malfunction, in particular the atrophy and enhanced permeability of gut mucosa, after burn injury.