CCK-induced Fos expression in brain stem is enhanced after intestinal nematode infection in rats.
Intestinal infections often trigger functional bowel disorders. The nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis induces post-infective alterations mainly consisting in an intestinal mast cell hyperplasia. Mast cells contact vagal afferent nerve fibres. Therefore, it is possible that the anatomical sequels of intestinal nematode infection induce long term alterations in the mediation of afferent signals from the gut to the brain. To test this hypothesis, we examined hindbrain expression of Fos immunoreactivity following systemic cholecystokinin (CCK) administration in control rats and 35 days after N. brasiliensis infection. In controls, Fos was expressed in the area postrema and the nucleus of solitary tract. After infection, this expression was increased by 262 and 157%, respectively. We conclude that an intestinal infection, at least in this model, is followed by an enhancement of the activation of hindbrain sites by CCK.
Gay
Jérôme
J
Neurogastroenterology and Nutrition Unit, INRA, 180 Chemin de Tournefeuille, BP 3, F-31931 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
Moré
Jean
J
Bueno
Lionel
L
Fioramonti
Jean
J
D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D020546:Fourth Ventricle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007422:Intestines / Q000294:innervation / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009559:Nippostrongylus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017552:Solitary Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D002766:Cholecystokinin