title: Histological and immunohistochemical studies of changes in myenteric plexuses and in interstitial cells of Cajal associated with equine colic.
abstract: In this study we investigated the histological changes of the myenteric plexuses and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in gut samples from horses with colic to try to find results useful in the prognostic evaluation of enteric lesions. A morphologic and quantitative study of myenteric ganglia, ganglion cells and neuronal chromatolytic and necrotic changes of 24 horses with colic was performed. For ganglion cells, enteroglial cells and ICC immunolabeling was also performed to identify cell functional disorders. A significant increase of neuronal chromatolysis and necrosis occurred in horses suffering from colic throughout the gut. The neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and synaptophysin immunoreaction quantified with image analysis showed a significant loss of neuronal activity in all intestinal tracts of the animals under study associated with a significant loss of ICC immunoreactivity. The results supports immunohistochemical evaluation of ENS and ICC as a useful tool along with morphometric investigations in the evaluation of gut lesions produced during colic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopathological Science and Hygiene of Animal and Food Productions, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. pavone.silvia@libero.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gialletti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pepe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Onofri
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Mandara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003085:Colic / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D006736:Horses; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D056885:Interstitial Cells of Cajal / Q000473:pathology*; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000473:pathology*