Immunocytochemical evidence for chromogranin A and B in neuronal elements in human gut

Reproductive health of the sow during puerperium

The modern hyperprolific sow is susceptible to metabolic disease and chronic inflammation. The most sensitive phase is parturition, when the sow experiences systemic inflammation and stress, and major changes in metabolism and endocrinology. Resolution of inflammation and stress needs to happen quickly to ensure good reproductive health during puerperium. If the sow fails to adapt to these changes, puerperal disease may occur. The economically most important puerperal disease complex is the postpartum dysgalactia syndrome (PPDS). Other puerperal diseases include infections of the urogenital tract. Diagnosis of PPDS and urogenital disease on-farm is challenging but several diagnostic methods, including clinical examination, behavioral observations, ultrasonography and biomarkers are available. Ultrasonography is an excellent tool for monitoring the health of the urogenital tract, the mammary gland, and uterine involution and guide further diagnostic interventions. Biomarkers such as Chromogranin A, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 represent promising tools to monitor general health and the systemic state of inflammation and oxidative stress of the sow. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, dopamine antagonists, and oxytocin are promising to address the symptoms of PPDS. Reducing of stress, improving nutrition and intestinal health, and supporting animal welfare-friendly husbandry help in the prevention of PPDS.

Postnatal human enteric neurospheres show a remarkable molecular complexity

BACKGROUND

The enteric nervous system (ENS), a complex network of neurons and glial cells, coordinates major gastrointestinal functions. Impaired development or secondary aberrations cause severe enteric neuropathies. Neural crest-derived stem cells as well as enteric neuronal progenitor cells, which form enteric neurospheres, represent a promising tool to unravel molecular pathomechanisms and to develop novel therapy options. However, so far little is known about the detailed cellular composition and the proportional distribution of enteric neurospheres. Comprehensive knowledge will not only be essential for basic research but also for prospective cell replacement therapies to restore or to improve enteric neuronal dysfunction.

METHODS

Human enteric neurospheres were generated from three individuals with varying age. For detailed molecular characterization, nCounter target gene expression analyses focusing on stem, progenitor, neuronal, glial, muscular, and epithelial cell markers were performed. Corresponding archived paraffin-embedded individuals' specimens were analyzed accordingly.

KEY RESULTS

Our data revealed a remarkable molecular complexity of enteric neurospheres and archived specimens. Amongst the expression of multipotent stem cell, progenitor cell, neuronal, glial, muscle and epithelial cell markers, moderate levels for the pluripotency marker POU5F1 were observed. Furthermore, besides the interindividual variability, we identified highly distinct intraindividual expression profiles.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Our results emphasize the assessment of molecular signatures to be essential for standardized use, optimization of experimental approaches, and elimination of potential risk factors, as the formation of tumors. Our study pipeline may serve as a blueprint implemented into the characterization procedure of enteric neurospheres for various future applications.

Modified Rapid AChE Method (MRAM) for Hirschsprung Disease Diagnosis: A Journey from Meier-Ruge Until Now

Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) can be diagnosed using a variety of histological and immunohistochemical methods and stains. Because of the nature of the condition and the need for a rapid diagnostic confirmation, those methods with high accuracy and fast turnaround times are preferred. The authors of this paper have used rapid acetylcholinesterase (AChE) immunohistochemistry in conjunction with standard H&E in order to optimize diagnostic accuracy, and present a modified rapid AChE method (MRAM) that has been successfully utilized for over 20 years. The authors also present a list of over 30 different methods and stains that have been proposed for Hirschsprung disease diagnosis.

Effect of acetic acid or trypsin application on rat colonic motility in vitro and modulation by two synthetic fragments of chromogranin A

The hypothesis that Chromogranin A (CgA)-derived peptides are involved in mechanisms modulating altered colonic motility was tested. Rat distal colonic strips were studied using an organ bath technique. Acetic acid (AA)-induced effects were characterized on spontaneous mechanical activities (SMA) in the presence of CgA4-16 or CgA47-66. In preparations with mucosa, AA induced a transient hyperactivity followed by a decrease in tone. The first phase is sensitive to tetrodotoxin (TTX) and capsaicin. The second phase was sensitive to BAYK8644 but insensitive to L-nitro-arginine-methyl-ester (L-Name)/apamin together. CgA4-16 or CgA47-66 alone produced no change on SMA. The administration of CgA4-16 prior to AA increased the duration of the excitatory component and reduced tone inhibition. CgA47-66 prior to AA only decreased duration of the excitatory phase. In preparations without mucosa, AA decreased tone. This effect was sensitive to BAYK8644 and CgA4-16. Trypsin decreased basal tone. This effect was suppressed by TTX, BAYK8644 or L-Name/apamin and were reduced by CgA4-16. AA-induced effects on rat colonic motility in vitro may be mediated through activation of primary afferents and an action at L-Type calcium channels. CgA-derived peptides are shown to decrease AA-induced effects on motility.

Effects of a chromogranin-derived peptide (CgA 47-66) in the writhing nociceptive response induced by acetic acid in rats

Chromogranin A (CgA) is an acidic protein identified within a large variety of endocrine cells. Colocalized with catecholamines in chromaffin cells, CgA is a prohormone precursor of small biologically active peptides. Vasostatin (CgA 1-76) is the most conserved fragment of CgA and chromogranin A 47-66 peptide (CgA 47-66) possesses potent antimicrobial activities. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that CgA 47-66 may be involved in mechanisms modulating nociception. Thus, we used acetic acid (AA) which produces a delayed inflammatory response and episodes of abdominal writhing, a marker of pain, when injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) to rats. Administration (i.p.) of CgA 47-66 induced specific opposite dose-dependent effects depending on concentration. That is, CgA 47-66 below 0.5 mg/kg produced antinociceptive effects, whereas at 2 mg/kg it produced a marked pronociceptive effect. The latter effect was blocked by diltiazem and indomethacin. CgA 47-66-induced antinociceptive effects on AA-induced responses were reversed when the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) antagonist alpha-helical CRF 9-41 was i.p. injected to animals prior to AA and CgA 47-66 administration. The administration of i.p. calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or substance P (SP) evoked dose-dependent abdominal writhing; this effect was abolished when CgA 47-66 was injected. The present data suggest, for the first time, that a fragment of CgA, CgA 47-66, possesses potent antinociceptive effects at low doses. Although the mechanism triggered by this peptide is unknown, CRF receptors are likely to be involved.

A role for chromogranin A (4–16), a vasostatin-derived peptide, on human colonic motility. An in vitro study

The hypothesis that CgA-derived peptides may be involved in mechanisms modulating motility was tested. Human colonic smooth muscles were studied using an organ bath technique. Acetic acid (AA) effects were characterized on spontaneous mechanical activities (SMA) and on responses to transmural nerve stimulation (NS). AA induced a significant decrease in tone and abolished SMA; this effect was insensitive to either TTX or L-NAME/apamin. The AA-induced inhibitory effects were significantly reduced in the presence of CgA4-16. This effect was insensitive to TTX or L-NAME/apamin. Furthermore, AA-induced effects were blocked in the presence of BAYK8644 and CgA4-16 together. The inhibitory effect of nifedipine was delayed in the presence of CgA4-16. NS induced a triphasic response. Only the excitatory components were reduced in the presence of AA. This effect was dose-related and remained unchanged in the presence of CgA4-16 alone, but was blocked in the presence of simultaneous administration of CgA4-16 and L-NAME/apamin. AA application induced inhibition of human colon motility in vitro. This effect may be mediated through an action on L-type calcium channels. CgA4-16 may display a protective role, which prevents the inhibition of motility due to AA to occur, by acting on both smooth muscle and afferent terminals.

PE-11, a peptide derived from chromogranin B, in the human brain

This study was performed to investigate the distribution of chromogranin B in the human central nervous system. We used an antiserum raised against a synthetic peptide (PE-11) present in the chromogranin B molecule. PE-11-like immunoreactivity was characterized by molecular size exclusion and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Its localization was studied using immunocytochemistry. Only the free peptide and an N-terminally elongated peptide were detected by molecular size exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography, indicating that proteolytic processing of chromogranin B is quite extensive. PE-11-like immunoreactivity was present in differently shaped fibers, varicosities and neurons, but not in glial cells. Its density varied throughout the brain. An especially high density was observed in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the central and cortical nuclei of the amygdala, the hypothalamus, the hippocampus, the raphe complex, the nucleus interpeduncularis, the nucleus of the solitary tract, and laminae I and II of the spinal cord. This study demonstrates a significant processing of chromogranin B and indicates that chromogranin B constitutes a precursor for smaller peptides which are derived by endoproteolytic processing. It provides the neuroanatomical basis to investigate the chromogranin B molecule as a widespread component of large dense-core vesicles in the human central nervous system.