Proliferative enteropathy (PE): Induced changes in galanin-like immunoreactivity in the enteric nervous system of the porcine distal colon

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of galanin (GAL) like immonoreactivity in the porcine descending colon during proliferative entheropathy (PE). Accordingly, the distribution pattern of GAL - like immunoreactive (GAL-LI) nerve structures was studied by the immunofluorescence technique in the circular muscle layer, myenteric (MP), outer submucous (OSP) and inner submucous plexuses (ISP), as well as in the mucosal layer of the porcine descending colon under physiological conditions and during PE. In control animals GAL-LI perikarya have been shown to constitute 4.03 ± 0.1%, 6.67 ± 0.3% and 11.20 ± 0.5% in MP, OSP and ISP, respectively. PE caused changes in the GAL - like immunoreactivity, which differed in particular parts of the studied bowel segment. During PE the number of GAL-LI perikarya amounted to 2.90±0.5%, 8.42±1.0% and 21.72±1,4% within the MP, OSP and ISP, respectively. Moreover PE caused an increase in the number of GAL-LI nerve fibers in the colonic circular muscle and mucosal layers, as well as in all intramural plexuses, especially in ISP, where nearly every ganglion contained a very dense meshwork of the GAL-positive nerve fibers under the studied pathological factor. This study for the first time reports on changes in GAL-LI nerve structures of the porcine descending colon during Lawsonia intracellularis infection.