K. Munakata et al., PRELIMINARY IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL NEW FINDINGS IN THE MYENTERIC PLEXUS OF PATIENTS WITH INTESTINAL NEURONAL DYSPLASIA TYPE-B, European journal of pediatric surgery, 7(1), 1997, pp. 21-29
In order to investigate the causes of abnormal peristalsis of the colo
n in intestinal neuronal dysplasia (IND), we studied the structure of
the myenteric plexus of IND colon using silver-impregnation (Suzuki's
method) as well as the innervation of both IND colons and normal colon
s using immunofluorescence technique with monoclonal antibodies to syn
aptic vesicles, and antisera to vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP
), substance P (SP), methionine-enkephalin (Met-Enk), and gastrin-rele
asing peptide (CRP). The following results were obtained. 1) In the IN
D colon, the number of identifiable myenteric ganglia was decreased. I
n a few cases of IND, irreversible neuron degeneration can be involved
in the pathogenesis of IND. 2) In the IND colon, the distribution and
fluorescence intensity of synaptic vesicles coincided with those of p
eptidergic nerve fibers. In the normal colon, synaptic vesicles were m
uch more numerous in the circular muscle layers than in the longitudin
al muscle layers, and the fluorescence intensity of those in the circu
lar muscle layers was stronger than that of those in the longitudinal
muscle layers. On the other hand, in IND colon, there were fewer synap
tic vesicles in the circular muscle layers, and their fluorescence int
ensity was weak, while there were many synaptic vesicles in the longit
udinal muscle layers, and their fluorescence intensity was strong. 3)
Morphological abnormalities may exist in synaptic vesicles in the circ
ular muscle layers of the IND colon. 4) Regarding the peptidergic nerv
e fibers, in the IND colon, innervation of circular muscle layers by M
et-Enk-, GRP- and SP-immunoreactive fibers was reduced, and longitudin
al muscles were more strongly innervated by immunoreactive fibers than
those in the normal colon. 5) Disturbed innervation of non-adrenergic
non-cholinergic excitatory nerves may cause the disturbance of muscle
contractions in the IND colon. In addition, an imbalance of peptiderg
ic and synaptic vesicle's innervations in both muscle layers may be re
lated to the abnormal peristalsis of IND colon. Also, morphological ab
normalities of synaptic vesicles may be concerned with its abnormal pe
ristalsis.