title: Expression of nerve growth factor, its TrkA receptor, and several neuropeptides in porcine esophagus. Implications for interactions between neural, vascular and epithelial components of the esophagus.
abstract: This study was aimed to determine the expression and localization of nerve growth factor (NGF) and several neural peptides in porcine esophagus. Transmural esophageal specimens were obtained from euthanized pigs.
  
  
  METHODS
  1) histologic evaluation, 2) expressions of NGF and its tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA) receptor, calcitonin generelated peptide (CGRP), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), and neuronal enolase using immunostaining and quantification of signal distribution and intensity. Immunostaining for NGF, CGRP, nNOS and neuronal specific enolase (NSE) showed their strong and differential expression and localization in the neuronal network. NGF was strongly expressed in the majority of neurons and nerves, distribution of TrkA was complementary; its signal was 1.5-fold weaker P < 0.001 than NGF). Quantitatively the signal intensity was: CGRP > nNOS > NGF > NES > TrkA. In addition to neural structures, nNOS, NGF and TrkA were expressed in keratinocyte progenitor cells of esophageal mucosa and in endothelial cells of blood vessels. We conclude that a strong expression of NGF in majority of esophageal neurons and nerves indicates important, but previously unrecognized regulatory roles in the esophagus; 2) This study showed expression of NGF and some of the neuropeptides in neural elements, keratinocyte progenitor cells and endothelial cells of blood vessels, which indicates local interactions between neural, epithelial and endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California - Irvine, Orange, California, USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Samarasena
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Long Beach Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Long Beach, California, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahluwalia
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California - Irvine, Orange, California, USA.|Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Long Beach Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Long Beach, California, USA.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tarnawski
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California - Irvine, Orange, California, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shinoura
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California - Irvine, Orange, California, USA.
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California - Irvine, Orange, California, USA.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California - Irvine, Orange, California, USA. kchang@uci.edu.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D004947:Esophagus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000378:metabolism*; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide