Purpose To explore whether one of the mechanisms of intestinal trefoil factor (ITF) in the treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is related to the P38 pathway.

Methods Forty wistar rats, one day after birth, were equally divided into four groups: normal control group, NEC model group, NEC+ITF group and NEC+P38Inhibitor (SB203580) group. The rats were fed for 3 days and killed on the 4th day. The ileocecum were obtained for histological examination by HE staining, P38 protein expression detection by Western-Blot and P38 gene transcripts detection by RT-PCR.

Results The pathological lesions showed that intestinal necrosis of NEC+ITF group and NEC+Inhibitor group was lighter than that of NEC model group. The level of P38 protein expression and gene transcripts in NEC model group was obviously higher than that in normal control group (p > 0.05). Compared with NEC Model group, the level of P38 expression and gene transcripts was obviously decreased in NEC+ITF group and NEC+Inhibitor group (p > 0.05).

Conclusion One of the pathogenesis for NEC may be related to P38 signalling transduction pathway, ITF may ameliorate intestinal inflammation and protect the mucosa from injury by inhibiting P38 signalling transduction pathway.