Treatment of Experimentally-Induced Peptic Ulcer in Rats by Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Regenerative medicine and emerging biotechnologies has encouraged the use of stem cells for the repair of injured tissues and organs, including the stomach. This study aims to examine the therapeutic effect of hematopoietic stem cells (in the treatment of experimentally induced peptic ulcer in rats. Thirty adult male albino rats weighing 150-200 gram were used. The rats were divided into three equal groups. (1) Control group received 1ml/rat single dose of 0.9% saline via a gastric tube. (2) Peptic ulcer non-treated group received 80% ethanol (1ml/rat) via a gastric tube, (3) Peptic ulcer treated group rats were treated with a single dose of CD34 positive HSCs (2x106 cell/rat intravenously) 48 hour following the induction of peptic ulcer. After 4 weeks all the rats were sacrificed and the gastric juice was collected. The stomach was excised for histopathological and immunohistochemical studies. The treatment with HSCs resulted in significant decrease in the volume, free acidity and total acidity of gastric juice when compared to the corresponding values in the nontreated group. Histopathological examination revealed that most of the luminal surface of the gastric mucosa was intact, with close similarity to the microscopic picture of the control group. This study shows that the use of HSCs could be a promising line of treatment for peptic ulcer, especially the complicated or recurrent cases.