An immunohistochemical investigation of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the colon of patients with Hirschsprung's disease.

The distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the colon of patients with Hirschsprung's disease was investigated by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) immunohistochemical method. Three colonic segments, ganglionic, oligoganglionic and aganglionic, were stained by the unlabeled antibody enzyme method. VIP immunoreactive nerve cell bodies, nerve fibers and nerve endings were distributed throughout the ganglionic and oligoganglionic segments. In contrast, the aganglionic segment contained no VIP nerve endings and the number of fibers was reduced. These differences are thought to be a cause of constriction of the colon in Hirschsprung's disease and VIP neurons are therefore believed to participate in the relaxation of smooth muscle.