{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T11:36:32Z","timestamp":1785411392433,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,6]],"date-time":"2026-05-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778025600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit","award":["TTU-2020-34947"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TTU-2020-34947"]}]},{"award":["TTU-2020-34947"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TTU-2020-34947"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03a5qrr21","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: This study investigated the effects of oxytocin (OT) in a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis model in rats, focusing on its potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties. Materials and Methods: Forty male Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 8): control (intrarectal saline), TNBS-induced colitis, dexamethasone-treated colitis (1 mg\/kg, i.p.), and two OT-treated colitis groups (0.5 and 1 mg\/kg, i.p.). Body weight changes were recorded over 72 h. Macroscopic and histopathological evaluations were performed following laparotomy and colectomy. Serum and colon tissue samples were analyzed for TNF-\u03b1, IL-1\u03b2, IL-6, MPO, MDA, GSH, GPx, SOD, and CAT levels. Immunohistochemical analysis of caspase-3 and oxytocin receptor (OTR), as well as immunofluorescence-based OTR expression, were assessed. Results: OT treatment significantly improved macroscopic and histopathological findings compared with the colitis group (p &lt; 0.01). Tissue TNF-\u03b1 and MDA levels were reduced, while antioxidant parameters were generally improved in OT-treated groups. Caspase-3 immunoreactivity decreased, indicating reduced apoptosis. Although some changes were observed in IL-6 levels, these were not consistent across all comparisons. OTR immunoreactivity appeared reduced in colitis and partially restored following OT administration. Conclusions: OT attenuates experimental colitis by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, and may contribute to mucosal healing. These findings suggest that OT has potential as a supportive therapeutic agent in inflammatory bowel disease; however, further studies are required to clarify its mechanisms of action.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina62050893","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]],"date-time":"2026-05-07T12:15:07Z","timestamp":1778156107000},"page":"893","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Protective Effects of Oxytocin on Experimental Colitis: Modulation of Cytokines, Oxidative Stress, and Caspase-3 Activity"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"62","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8210-6794","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Burcu","family":"Aydinli Kazalak","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Surgery, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34098, Turkey"},{"name":"Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, \u0130stanbul Medipol University, Istanbul 34214, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sibel","family":"Yaman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Surgery, Gaziantep City Hospital, Gaziantep 27470, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mehmet Faik","family":"Ozcelik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Surgery, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34098, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gozde Erkanli","family":"Senturk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Histology and Embryology, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34098, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rahime","family":"Aydinli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Taksim Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul 34433, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Belisa","family":"Kaleci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Histology and Embryology, Ministry of Health, University Dental Clinic, 1001 Tiran, Albania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1347-8498","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hafize","family":"Uzun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, \u0130stanbul Atlas University, Istanbul 34408, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1016\/j.suc.2025.08.013","article-title":"Ulcerative Colitis","volume":"106","author":"Spence","year":"2026","journal-title":"Surg. 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