Effects of maternal ischemic preconditioning in the colon of newborn rats submitted to hypoxia-reoxygenation insult

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of maternal remote ischemic preconditioning (IPCr) in the colonic mucosa of newborn rats subjected to hypoxia and reoxygenation.METHODS:Newborn Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Control Group (CG), Hypoxia and Reoxygenation Group (HRG) and Remote Ischemic Preconditioning Group (IPCrG). Hypoxia and reoxygenation was performed 2x per day, with an interval of 6 hours, on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd days of life, with 10 minutes of CO2 at 100%, followed by 10 minutes O2 at 100%(HRG/IPCrG). The maternal IPCr was performed 24 hours before delivery by applying a rubber band tourniquet to the left hind limb (IPCrG). Segments of the colon underwent histological (HE) and immunohistochemical analysis for caspase-3 and COX - 2.RESULTS: The histological findings showed no intestinal mucosal damage in the CG group and severe lesions in HRG that was attenuated in the IPCrG (p