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Deficiency of c-kit+ cells in patients with a myopathic form of chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.
- Source :
-
The American journal of gastroenterology [Am J Gastroenterol] 1997 Feb; Vol. 92 (2), pp. 332-4. - Publication Year :
- 1997
-
Abstract
- Objectives: Chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIIP) is a syndrome characterized by a failure of intestinal movement, but the cause of dysmotility remains unknown. Because interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are believed to initiate basic contractile activity of the gastrointestinal tract, there is a possibility that changes in ICCs are involved in the development of CIIP. ICCs express c-kit in mice, and it has been reported that the c-kit+ cells, the location and shape of which resemble those in mice, are detected in the human gastrointestinal muscular layer using immunohistochemistry. In the present study, we counted the number of c-kit+ cells in the affected intestine of two patients with myopathic form of CIIP and compared this number with the number of c-kit+ cells in the normal intestine.<br />Methods: The c-kit+ cells in the external muscle layer were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the number of them was counted under the microscope. Mast cells, which are known to express c-kit, were detected by staining with Alcian blue, and the number of them was also counted.<br />Results: Immunohistochemistry revealed that the distribution pattern of c-kit+ cells resembles that of ICCs in the external muscle layer of normal control subjects. The numbers of c-kit+ cells apart from mast cells in two patients with myopathic form of CIIP decreased to about 3% of those in normal subjects.<br />Conclusions: The failure of intestinal movement in patients with CIIP, at least in a subpopulation, might be related to a deficiency of c-kit+ cells, probably ICCs.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Cell Count
Chronic Disease
Female
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction etiology
Intestine, Small metabolism
Intestine, Small pathology
Male
Muscle, Smooth metabolism
Myenteric Plexus metabolism
Myenteric Plexus pathology
Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction metabolism
Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction pathology
Muscle, Smooth pathology
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit metabolism
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0002-9270
- Volume :
- 92
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The American journal of gastroenterology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 9040218