title: Intestinal inflammation modulates expression of the synaptic vesicle protein neuronal calcium sensor-1.
abstract: The calcium-binding protein neuronal calcium sensor 1 (NCS-1) is involved in modulation of neurotransmitter release in the peripheral and central nervous systems. Since intestinal inflammation impairs neurotransmitter release, we evaluated the expression of NCS-1 in the normal rat colon and in dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS)-induced colitis. Immunocytochemistry and Western blots showed high levels of NCS-1 in the myenteric plexus and in axons in the smooth muscle layers; 23 +/- 2% of myenteric neurons were NCS-1 positive, with staining restricted to the largest neurons. NCS-1-positive axons decreased to 13.3 +/- 0.4% of total axons by day 2 and dropped further to 7.0 +/- 0.1% by day 4, returning to control levels by day 16. Dual-label Western blot analysis showed that the expression of NCS-1 relative to PGP 9.5 decreased by 50% on day 4 but returned to control by day 16. The selective loss of NCS-1 during colitis may underlie the altered neural function seen in the inflamed intestine.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Unit, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lourenssen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jeromin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roder
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Blennerhassett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003106:Colon / Q000276:immunology / Q000294:innervation*; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051580:Neuronal Calcium-Sensor Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D051580:Neuronal Calcium-Sensor Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; C101464:frequenin calcium sensor proteins; C007488:dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid