OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Bifidobacterium on the expression of β-defensin-2 (BD-2) in intestinal tissue of neonatal rats with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

METHODSA total of 40 rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control, Bifidobacterium control, NEC model, and Bifidobacterium treatment, with 10 rats in each group. A rat model of NEC was induced by hypoxia, cold stimulation, and artificial feeding. The rats in the Bifidobacterium control and Bifidobacterium treatment groups were given Bifidobacterium via the gastric tube after cold stimulation once a day for three consecutive days. The morphological changes of the terminal ileum were observed under a light microscope and the intestinal injury score was determined. Immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR were used to measure the protein and mRNA expression of BD-2 in the ileal mucosal tissue.

RESULTSThe NEC model group had a significantly higher intestinal injury score than the normal control, Bifidobacterium control, and Bifidobacterium treatment groups (P<0.05). The Bifidobacterium treatment group had a significantly higher intestinal injury score than the normal control and Bifidobacterium control groups (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression of BD-2 in the normal control group was significantly lower than in the Bifidobacterium control, NEC model, and Bifidobacterium treatment groups (P<0.05). The Bifidobacterium control group had significantly higher mRNA and protein expression of BD-2 than the NEC model and Bifidobacterium treatment groups (P<0.05). The Bifidobacterium treatment group had significantly higher mRNA and protein expression of BD-2 than the NEC model group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBifidobacterium can induce the expression of BD-2 in intestinal tissue of rats and reduce inflammatory response by increasing the expression of BD-2. This provides a protective effect on neonatal rats with NEC.