Immunohistochemical distribution of bombesin-positive pulmonary neuroendocrine cells in a congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Morphometrical analyses of the immunohistochemical expression of bombesin, which is one of the peptides produced by pulmonary neuroendocrine (PNE) cel ls, were carried out on the bronchioles of human congenital diaphragmatic h ernia (CDH) neonates, and the findings were then compared with those in a g estational and postnatal age-matched control group. As a result, no differe nce was found in the number of bombesin-positive cells between the lungs of the control group and the unaffected side lungs in the CDH group except fo r the ratio of the bombesin-positive cells per unit of the bronchiolar surf ace area (P < 0.05), However, compared with the lungs in the control group, the affected side of the lungs in the CDH group showed a significant incre ase in the expression of bombesin, namely, the ratio of the bombesin-positi ve cells per bronchiole (P < 0.05), the ratio of the bombesin-positive cell s per unit perimeter of the bronchioles (P < 0.05), and the ratio of the bo mbesin-positive cells per unit of the bronchiolar surface area (P < 0.01). These results thus suggest that hyperplasia of the PNE-cell system in the l ungs of the CDH cases, especially on the affected side, exists in human fet uses. We also further speculate that PNE cells mag thus play a role in the problems associated with CDH during intrauterine life in human beings.