Abstract: Objective The aim of this experiment was to explore the effect of alcohol on intestinal stem cell proliferation. Methods 18 C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control and alcohol group (9 in each). A mouse model with chronic alcohol injury was established by Gao-Binge method. Before sampling, the 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) was intraperitoneally injected. At 2 h, 24 h and 72 h after BrdU injection, the small intestine tissues were collected and immunohistochemical staining was conducted to detect BrdU positive cells. The number of BrdU positive cells in small intestinal tissue at 2 h was used as the detection index of intestinal epithelial cell proliferation, and the distances of BrdU positive cells from the distal end of small intestinal villi to the basal part of small intestinal crypt at 2 h, 24 h and 72 h were dynamically measured as the detection index of intestinal epithelial cell migration. The expression of intestinal stem cell specific marker, Lgr5 was detected by immunohistochemistry. Results The small intestinal villi in alcohol-intervened group were significantly shortened and atrophic compared with those in the control group; the expression of Lgr5 in alcohol-intervened group was significantly weaker than that in control group; the number of BrdU positive cells in each intestinal crypt in experimental group was (3.50±0.65), significantly less than that in control group ; the migration distance of BrdU positive cells in alcohol-intervened group at 2 h, 24 h and 72 h after BrdU injection were (66.67±1.60) μm, (219.40±12.11) μm and (313.90±9.76) μm, significantly shorter than those in the control . Conclusion Alcohol induces decreased proliferation and migration of intestinal epithelial cells by inhibiting intestinal stem cell proliferation, which might damage the renewal and repair ability of intestinal epithelium, leading to abnormal intestinal epithelial barrier functions.

Key words: Alcohol, Intestinal stem cell, Proliferation, Mice