Immunohistochemical study of enteric nervous system in dexamethasone-treated rats

Radmila Glišić,Maja Čakić-Milošević,Mirela Ukropina

doi:10.5937/kgjsci1840163g

Abstract

The gut is supplied with its own nervous system, referred to as the enteric nervous system (ENS). It regulates the various functions of a digestive system such as motility, secretion and digestion and has close interactions with the enteric immune system. The aim of this study was to investigate the alterations of the ENS in dexamethasone-treated rats using two general neuroendocrine markers: protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) and synaptophysin (SY). As concluded from the changes in a pattern of immunoexpression of the markers applied, some remodeling of the ENS occured. Further investigations are needed to elucidate in more details its nature and importance with respect to gastrointestinal complications seen in diabetes.

Highlights

The neuroendocrine system of the gut is its regulatory system consisting of enteroendocrine cells scattered among the epithelial cells and the neurons and nerve fascicles of the enteric nervous system (ENS), forming a neural network embedded in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT)
Based on the previously reported results (KOKO et al, 2001; GLIŠIĆ et al, 2006), which emerged from the above-mentioned comprehensive research, we already showed that same treatment caused hypoglycemia, glycosuria, increase in plasma and pancreatic insulin levels, as well as the strong hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the pancreatic B cells, together indicating the impaired glucose tolerance and diabetic state
The results of this study showed a rather uniform expression of the PGP 9.5 along the investigated gut regions of untreated rats, with only slightly stronger reaction in the myenteric plexus of the ileum and colon

Summary

Introduction

The neuroendocrine system of the gut is its regulatory system consisting of enteroendocrine cells scattered among the epithelial cells and the neurons and nerve fascicles of the enteric nervous system (ENS), forming a neural network embedded in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The myenteric plexus is located between the two muscle layers of muscularis externa and is involved in the regulation of relaxation and contraction of the intestinal wall (FURNESS and COSTA, 1987). The nerve fibers are divided into primary, secondary and tertiary, where first two are interganglionic, and the latter are ramified into the adjacent muscle layers. In both muscle layers, an aganglionated plexus exists in a form of a dense network of fine nerve fibers oriented parallel to the course of the corresponding smooth muscle cells (WEDEL et al, 1999)

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Methods

Conclusion