Abstract: In order to explore the effect of casein glycomacropeptide (CGMP) on the apoptosis of colonic mucosal cells in mice with oxazolone-induced ulcerative colitis, the mice were treated respectively with CGMP at the doses of 5, 50 mg/(kg·d) and 500 mg/(kg·d) and sulfasalazine at the dose of 40 mg/(kg·d) by gavage for 4 consecutive days to establish high-, medium- and low-dose CGMP groups and positive control group. The same dose of ultra-pure water was once daily given to the normal control and model control groups.  HE staining and TdT2-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay were used to evaluate morphological and histological damage as well as epithelial cell apoptosis in the colon of the mice with oxazolone-induced ulcerative colitis. The results indicated that CGMP at each doses revealed obvious improvement on oxazolone-induced ulcerative colitis, and the improving effect at the dose of 50 mg/(kg·d) did not significantly differ from that of sulfasalazine. In conclusion, CGMP, a bioactive substance, has promising potential as a nutritional therapy for ulcerative colitis through apoptosis.

Key words: casein glycomacropeptide, apoptosis, mice, oxazolone, ulcerative colitis