Characterization of Neurochemical Signature Alterations in the Enteric Nervous System in Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Kicherer J, Weier A, Enders M, Neuhuber W, Heider T, Kürten S (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Applied Sciences MDPI

Book Volume: 12

Journal Issue: 12

DOI: 10.3390/app12125974

Abstract

To date, it has remained unclear whether gastrointestinal symptoms, which are frequently observed in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), are accompanied by pathology of the enteric nervous system (ENS). Here, the neurotransmitter signature of ENS neurons and morphological alterations of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) were studied in patients with MS and mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), which is an animal model of MS. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on colonic whole mounts from mice with EAE and on paraffin-embedded sections of intestinal tissue from patients with MS. Antibodies against neurotransmitters or their enzymes (including vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)) were used in conjunction with pan-neuronal markers. In addition, the presence of anoctamin 1 (ANO1)-expressing ICCs was studied. ENS changes were observed in the myenteric plexus, but they were absent in the submucosal plexus of both EAE mice and patients with MS. There was a significant decrease in the percentage of ChAT-positive neurons in EAE mice as opposed to a trend toward an increase in patients with MS. Moreover, while ANO1 expression was decreased in EAE mice, patients with MS displayed a significant increase. Although additional studies are necessary to accomplish an in-depth characterization of ENS alterations in MS, our results imply that such alterations exist and may reveal novel insights into the pathophysiology of MS.

Authors with CRIS profile

Julia Kicherer Lehrstuhl für Mikroskopische Anatomie und Molekulare Zellbiologie Alicia Weier Lehrstuhl für Mikroskopische Anatomie und Molekulare Zellbiologie Michael Enders Lehrstuhl für Mikroskopische Anatomie und Molekulare Zellbiologie Winfried Neuhuber Lehrstuhl für Mikroskopische Anatomie und Molekulare Zellbiologie Stefanie Kürten Lehrstuhl für Mikroskopische Anatomie und Molekulare Zellbiologie

Involved external institutions

Klinikum St. Marien Amberg DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Kicherer, J., Weier, A., Enders, M., Neuhuber, W., Heider, T., & Kürten, S. (2022). Characterization of Neurochemical Signature Alterations in the Enteric Nervous System in Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. Applied Sciences, 12(12). https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app12125974

MLA:

Kicherer, Julia, et al. "Characterization of Neurochemical Signature Alterations in the Enteric Nervous System in Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis." Applied Sciences 12.12 (2022).

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