The intestine is segmented into functionally discrete compartments (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon). The present study examined whether alcohol combined with
burn injury differently influences
cytokine levels in different parts of the intestine. Male mice were gavaged with alcohol (∼2.9 g/kg) 4 h prior to receiving a ∼12.5% total body surface area full thickness
burn. Mice were sacrificed 1, 3, and 7 days after injury. The intestine segments (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon) were harvested, homogenized, and analyzed for inflammatory mediators (IL-6, IL-18, and KC) using their respective ELISAs. KC levels were significantly increased in the jejunum, ileum, and colon following alcohol and
burn injury as compared to shams. The increase in KC was ∼28-fold higher in the colon as compared to the levels observed in duodenum following alcohol and
burn injury. Both
IL-6 and
IL-18 levels were significantly elevated in both the ileum and colon following the combined insult. There was a ∼7-fold increase in
IL-6 levels in the colon as compared with the duodenum after the combined insult. Levels of
IL-18 were increased by ∼1.5-fold in the colon as compared to the ileum following alcohol and
burn injury. The data suggest that pro-inflammatory mediators are differentially expressed in the intestine following alcohol and
burn injury.