Autotransplantation modulates ileal enteroendocrine cell expression in thepig

Background. Enteroendocrine cell-derived peptides modulate postresectional small bowel adaptation, which may be attenuated by transplantation. We inve stigated whether autotransplantation modulates the number and distribution of ileal enteroendocrine cells in pigs with proximal small bowel resection. Materials and methods. Fifteen pigs were assigned into either small intesti nal transection or 75% proximal small intestinal resection with or without auto transplantation of the remaining ileum. After 14 weeks the number and subtype distribution of enteroendocrine cells, crypt cell proliferation, an d mucosal histology were analyzed from the proximal and distal ends of the remaining ileum. Results. When compared to resected controls, autotransplantation of the ile um decreased the absolute (P < 0.05 in proximal ileum) and proportional (P < 0.05 in distal ileum) crypt enteroendocrine cell number. In addition, aut otransplantation reduced somatostatin and glicentin expressing cell counts and abolished the proximodistal gradient of the enteroendocrine cell number . When compared to transected controls, villus height, crypt depth, number of proliferating crypt cells, and crypt cell proliferation index increased after the proximal resection (P < 0.05 in all except in crypt depth and pro liferation index of the distal ileum) but remained virtually unchanged afte r autotransplantation of the ileal remnant. Conclusions. Autotransplantation decreases the crypt enteroendocrine cell n umber and alters their proximo-distal and subtype distribution in the remai ning ileum in pigs with proximal small bowel resection. These alterations a re associated with attenuated adaptive response of the autotransplanted ile um. (C) 2000 Academic Press.