title: Endogenous vagal activation dampens intestinal inflammation independently of splenic innervation in postoperative ileus.
abstract: Postoperative ileus is encountered by patients undergoing open abdominal surgery and is characterized by intestinal inflammation associated with impaired gastrointestinal motility. We recently showed that inflammation of the gut muscularis triggered activation of the vagal efferent pathway mainly targeting the inflamed zone. In the present study we investigate further the modulatory role of endogenous activation of the vagal motor pathway on the innate immune response. Intestinal or splenic denervation was performed two weeks prior to intestinal manipulation (IM) or laparotomy (L). Twenty-four hour post-surgery, the gastrointestinal transit, immune cell influx, and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were measured in the gut muscularis. Manipulation of the small intestine led to a delay in intestinal transit, an influx of leukocytes and increased pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Surgical lesion of the vagal branch that selectively innervates the small intestine did not further delay the intestinal transit but significantly enhanced the expression levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 in the gut muscularis. Splenic denervation did not affect intestinal inflammation or gastrointestinal transit after intestinal manipulation. Our study demonstrates that selective vagotomy, leaving the splenic innervation intact, increases surgery-induced intestinal inflammation. These data suggest that endogenous activation of the vagal efferent pathway by intestinal inflammation directly dampens the local immune response triggered by intestinal manipulation independently of the spleen.
authors.affiliation: Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: l.m.costes@amc.nl.
authors.forename: L M M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Costes
authors.affiliation: Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Vliet
authors.affiliation: Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S H W
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: van Bree
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Boeckxstaens
authors.affiliation: Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cailotto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000276:immunology* / Q000294:innervation*; D045823:Ileus / Q000276:immunology*; D007249:Inflammation; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: C587672:IL1B protein, mouse; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C577686:interleukin-6, mouse
keywords: Inflammation; Postoperative ileus; Splenic nerve; Vagal nerve