Abstract
Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is a commonly used anti-inflammatory drug that has analgesic and antipyretic properties. The side effects are well known, however, knowledge concerning its influence on gastric and intestinal innervation is limited. The enteric nervous system (ENS) innervates the whole gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and is comprised of more than one hundred million neurons. The capacity of neurons to adapt to microenvironmental influences, termed as an enteric neuronal plasticity, is an essential adaptive response to various pathological stimuli. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to determine the influence of prolonged ASA supplementation on the immunolocalization of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and cocaine- and amphetamine- regulated transcript peptide (CART) in the porcine jejunum. The experiment was performed on 8 Pietrain × Duroc immature gilts. Using routine double-labelling immunofluorescence, we revealed that the ENS nerve cells underwent adaptive changes in response to the induced inflammation, which was manifested by upregulated or downregulated expression of the studied neurotransmitters. Our results suggest the participation of nNOS, VIP and CART in the development of inflammation and may form the basis for further neuro-gastroenterological research.
Highlights
The digestive system plays an essential role in the supply of nutrients, digestion and absorption and has a decisive influence on the entire organism
The digestive system is known to be regulated by extrinsic innervation, and by intrinsic innervation—intramural neurons positioned in the wall of the entire gastrointestinal tract forming the enteric nervous system (ENS) [2,3]
Nitric oxide is associated with changes in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) immunoreactivity in intestinal nerves, which is especially prominent in pathological processes, such as during inflammation [21], Crohn’s disease [36] and mycotoxin poisoning [37]
Summary
The digestive system plays an essential role in the supply of nutrients, digestion and absorption and has a decisive influence on the entire organism. Unlike other internal organs, the alimentary tract is exposed to different stimuli from the external environment in the form of ingested food and drugs. The digestive system is known to be regulated by extrinsic innervation (sympathetic, parasympathetic, sensory ganglionic neurons), and by intrinsic innervation—intramural neurons positioned in the wall of the entire gastrointestinal tract (from the esophagus to the anus) forming the enteric nervous system (ENS) [2,3]. The ENS is comprised of the myenteric plexus (MP), situated between the longitudinal and circular layers of the external musculature layers and the inner (ISP) and outer (OSP) submucosal plexuses [6,7]. The MP primarily regulates normal gastric motility, while the OSP and ISP plexuses are mainly responsible for fluid secretion and resorption [8]
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