The cytoskeletal intermediate filaments alterations of rat colon after exposure to immobilization stress and the curative role of diazepam [ ]


The present work was planned to study the cytoskeletal intermediate filaments changes that may occur in the colon of the immobilized-stressed albino rats and the ameliorative role of diazepam injected intraperitoneally with therapeutic dose (0.1 mg/ kg b.w.). Sixty adult male albino rats weighing 110 ± 5g were used and divided equally into 6 groups (10 animals / each), group(I) served as control rats; group(II) rats treated with diazepam; group (III) and (IV) served as stressed rats: in which the rats were immobilized individually for 2 hrs. daily for two durations (5 and 30 days, respectively); groups (V) and (VI) served as immobilized- stressed rats for 2 hrs daily for 5and 30 days and treated with diazepam for 30 days, respectively. The results recorded a significant increase in sera cortisol of the stressed-rats for 5 and 30 days. Immunohistochemical results of colon demonstrated marked intense cytokeratin immunoreactivity at the apical part and the lateral borders of epithelial and goblet cells. Also, an obvious intense vimentin immunoreaction in the lamina propria and the blood vessels walls of the colonic mucosa of the immobilized-stressed rats for 2hrs/ daily for 5 and 30 days, these alterations were time-depended. Treatment with diazepam resulted in decreased cortisol levels, marked improvement and restoration of the cytoskeletal proteins alteration. The results indicated that diazepam is recommended to be used as a curative drug to improve the disturbances in the cytoskeletal intermediate filaments of colon induced by stress.