Effects of perinatal protein deprivation and recovery on esophageal myenteric plexus.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate effects of pre- and postnatal protein deprivation and postnatal recovery on the myenteric plexus of the rat esophagus.


METHODS
Three groups of young Wistar rats (aged 42 d) were studied: normal-fed (N42), protein-deprived (D42), and protein-recovered (R42). The myenteric neurons of their esophagi were evaluated by histochemical reactions for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), nitrergic neurons (NADPH)-diaphorase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), immunohistochemical reaction for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), and ultrastructural analysis by transmission electron microscopy.


RESULTS
The cytoplasms of large and medium neurons from the N42 and R42 groups were intensely reactive for NADH. Only a few large neurons from the D42 group exhibited this aspect. NADPH detected in the D42 group exhibited low reactivity. The AChE reactivity was diffuse in neurons from the D42 and R42 groups. The density of large and small varicosities detected by immunohistochemical staining of VIP was low in ganglia from the D42 group. In many neurons from the D42 group, the double membrane of the nuclear envelope and the perinuclear cisterna were not detectable. NADH and NADPH histochemistry revealed no group differences in the profile of nerve cell perikarya (ranging from 200 to 400 microm(2)).


CONCLUSIONS
Protein deprivation causes a delay in neuronal maturation but postnatal recovery can almost completely restore the normal morphology of myenteric neurons.
Greggio
Flavio M
FM
Autonomic Nervous System Laboratory (VQM), Department of Anatomy, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas da Universidade de Sao Paulo, 2415 Av Prof Lineu Prestes, 05508-900, São Paulo, Brazil.
Fontes
Ricardo B V
RB
Maifrino
Laura B
LB
Castelucci
Patricia
P
de Souza
Romeu Rodrigues
RR
Liberti
Edson A
EA
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D004947:Esophagus / Q000166:cytology / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011488:Protein Deficiency; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D004044:Dietary Proteins; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase