Evaluation of differences between breeds for substance P, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and neurofilament 200 in the abomasal wall of cattle

OBJECTIVE: To compare the content of substance P, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and neurofilament 200 in biopsy specimens taken from the abomasal wall of healthy cows of 2 breeds. SAMPLE POPULATION: Biopsy specimens taken from different sites of the abomasal wall from 20 German Holstein cows and 20 German Fleckvieh cows. PROCEDURES: Biopsy specimens were examined immunohistochemically, and the content of substance P, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and neurofilament 200 was determined by measuring the immunoreactive areas. RESULTS: Significant differences between the breeds were detected. Substance P-immuno-reactive area in the corpus abomasi was significantly smaller in the German Holsteins (geometric mean +/- geometric SD, 679 +/- 1.83 microm2) than in the German Fleckvieh cows (1,020 +/- 1.65 microm2). Concerning vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, differences between breeds were not significant. Overall nerve density in the antral abomasal wall was significantly greater in German Holsteins than in German Fleckvieh cows (immunoreactive areas for neurofilament 200 in German Holsteins was 4,842 +/- 1.29 microm2 and in German Fleckvieh cows was 3,333 +/- 1.63 microm2). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-The significantly lower content of substance P in the corpus abomasi could explain why German Holstein cows are predisposed to abomasal displacement, compared with German Fleckvieh cows, in which this disease is a rare finding.