Abstracts | EQUINE
Myenteric networks of interstitial cells of Cajal are reduced
in horses with inflammatory bowel disease
C. Fintl, R. Lindberg, C. McL. Press
Background
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a well‐recognised
but poorly understood disease complex in the horse.
Clinical signs may vary but often include weight loss,
diarrhoea and colic. The effect this disease process
may have on the gastrointestinal pacemaker cells (the
interstitial cells of Cajal), enteric neurons and glial cells
has not been previously evaluated in the horse.
Objectives
To compare the density of the interstitial cells of Cajal
(ICC), enteric neurons and glial cells in horses with IBD
to those of normal horses using immunohistochemical
markers.
Study design
Retrospective,
study.
Methods
labelling techniques. Image analysis was performed to
quantify the presence of ICC (CD117, TMEM16) as well as
neuronal (PGP9.5) and enteroglial (GFAP) networks.
Results
Interstitial cells of Cajal networks were significantly
reduced in the myenteric plexus (MP) region in IBD
horses compared with the controls for both markers
(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the
density of the neuronal or glial cell markers between the
two groups (P>0.05).
Main limitations
The number of horses included in the study.
Conclusions
quantitative
immunohistochemical
Ileal samples were collected during post‐mortem
examinations from 14 horses with a clinical and
histopathological diagnosis of IBD and from eight normal
controls. All horses were Standardbreds 1–15 years of
age. Six of the IBD cases had eosinophilic gastroenteritis
(EG) while the remaining eight had granulomatous
enteritis (GE). Tissue sections were labelled with anti‐
CD117 (c‐Kit), anti‐TMEM16 (TMEM16), anti‐protein
gene product (PGP9.5) and anti‐glial fibrillary acidic
protein (GFAP) using standard immunohistochemical
Disruption to ICC networks may contribute to the
clinical signs of colic in some horses with IBD. Further
studies are needed to establish the pathophysiological
mechanisms involved and the functional effects of the
reduced ICC networks.
• Volume 21 Issue 4 | December 2019 •
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