title: Corticotropin releasing factor-distribution in rat intestine and role in neuroprotection.
abstract: Aims of the present study were to describe the distribution of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) immunoreactivity in rat small and large intestines, to quantify the percentage of CRF-immunoreactive (CRF-IR) enteric neurons, to reveal possible CRF immunoreactivity in cultured myenteric neurons from rat ileum and to examine if additions of CRF, urocortin 1 (Ucn1), CRF antagonist or vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) affect neuronal survival in vitro. Co-localization of CRF- and VIP-immunoreactivity was examined, as well as a possible interplay between CRF and VIP in neuroprotection. Further we wanted to elucidate if mast cells affect neuronal survival via CRF signaling. Networks of CRF-containing nerve cell bodies and fibers were detected in rat intestine. CRF-IR neurons contained to a high degree also VIP. A low number of cultured myenteric neurons was CRF-IR. CRF, Ucn1 or CRF-antagonist did not promote neuronal survival of cultured myenteric neurons, while VIP significantly enhanced neuronal survival. Simultaneous presence of CRF attenuated the VIP mediated increase in neuronal survival. Co-culturing neurons and mast cells resulted in a marked reduction in neuronal survival, not executed via CRF signaling pathways.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRF is present in enteric neurons and counteracts the neuroprotective effect of VIP in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. elin.sand@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Elin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sand
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Themner-Persson
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ekblad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007082:Ileum / Q000166:cytology / Q000294:innervation; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007422:Intestines / Q000294:innervation; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000502:physiology; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D054832:Urocortins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D054832:Urocortins; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; C045089:corticotropin releasing hormone (9-41)