title: Characterization of Gastric Mucosa Biopsies Reveals Alterations in Huntington's Disease.
abstract: Weight loss is an important complication of Huntington's disease (HD), however the mechanism for weight loss in HD is not entirely understood. Mutant huntingtin is expressed in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and, in HD mice, mutant huntingtin inclusions are found within the enteric nervous system along the GI tract. A reduction of neuropeptides, decreased mucosal thickness and villus length, as well as gut motility impairment, have also been shown in HD mice. We therefore set out to study gastric mucosa of patients with HD, looking for abnormalities of mucosal cells using immunohistochemistry. In order to investigate possible histological differences related to gastric acid production, we evaluated the cell density of acid producing parietal cells, as well as gastrin producing cells (the endocrine cell controlling parietal cell function). In addition, we looked at chief cells and somatostatin-containing cells. In gastric mucosa from HD subjects, compared to control subject biopsies, a reduced expression of gastrin (a marker of G cells) was found. This is in line with previous HD mouse studies showing reduction of GI tract neuropeptides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Brain Disease Biomarker Unit, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: McCourt
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Genetics, Sheffield Children's Hospital, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield. South Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: Kirsty L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: O'Donovan
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ekblad
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurogastroenterology, Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sand
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Craufurd
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences and Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wakes, UK.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosser
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biologym University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, UK.
authors.forename: Hugh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rickards
authors.affiliation: Lund University Diabetes Centre, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wierup
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Kings College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Gillian P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Björkqvist
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Genetics, Sheffield Children's Hospital, Sheffield Children's NHS foundation Trust, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Quarrell