Structural and functional changes of neuronal and glial components of the feline enteric nervous system in cats with chronic inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract |
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Authors: | Kleinschmidt Sven Nolte Ingo Hewicker-Trautwein Marion |
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Affiliation: | aDepartment of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, D-30559 Hannover, Germany;bSmall Animal Clinic, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 9, D-30559 Hannover, Germany |
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Abstract: | Immunohistochemical examinations of the enteric nervous system (ENS) were performed on biopsies of healthy cats and compared to findings in cats suffering from inflammatory bowel disease or intestinal lymphoma. In lymphocytic–plasmacytic enterocolitis all affected samples had significant reductions in glial fibrillary acidic protein and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and mostly of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) possibly reflecting alterations in enteric glial cells and neurons. In cases with eosinophilic gastroenterocolitis significantly reduced phosphorylated neurofilament (PN) expression was present suggesting a disturbance in neuronal cytoskeleton, whereas cats with fibrosing enteropathy had reduced expression of NSE, non-phosphorylated neurofilaments (NPN), PN and VIP, possibly reflecting neuronal disturbances. In cases with intestinal lymphoma only the reduction in PN and the increase in NPN were obvious suggesting direct damage or interference of neoplastic cells with enteric neurons. In conclusion, structural and functional alterations of the ENS may contribute to clinically evident signs of vomiting and/or diarrhea. |
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Keywords: | Cat Enteric nervous system Immunohistochemistry Inflammatory bowel disease Lymphoma |
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