Quantitative analysis of the neurons from the myenteric plexus in the ileum of rats submitted to severe protein deficiency

Abstract

-The effects of protein malnutrition on the quantitative aspects of the myenteric plexus in the ileum of adult Rattus norvegicus were assessed. Thirty 90-day-old rats were divided into two groups: Control Group (CG, n=15) and Experimental Group (EG, n=15). The CG received 26% protein chow and the EG received 4% protein chow for 90 days. At the end of the experiment, the animals from the CG weighed 369.63±26.33, and the ones from the EG 215.34±56.31. The ileum was submitted to Giemsa, NADH-and NADPH-diaphorase technique in order to evidence nervous cells in the whole-mount preparations. Animals from the EG presented a 41.75% body weight loss in relation to the CG as well as 17.6% length reduction for the ileum-jejunum. Moreover, the organ was 41% lighter for the EG. Giemsa-stained neurons were 17.02% more concentrated in the EG (p>0.05). NADH-diaphorase-stained neurons were 26.6% more concentrated in the EG (p<0.05), while the NADPH-diaphorase were 26.28% more concentrated in this group (p<0.05).KEy worDs: protein malnutrition, rat ileum, enteric neurons. Análise quantitativa dos neurônios do plexo mientérico do íleo de ratos submetidos a intensa carência de proteínasResumo -Avaliou-se o efeito da desnutrição protéica sobre o número de neurônios mientéricos do íleo de ratos adultos. Foram utilizados 30 animais (90 dias de idade), divididos em dois grupos: controle (GC, n=15) e experimental (GE, n=15), sendo oferecido ao GC ração com teor protéico de 26% e, para o GE, ração com 4% de proteína, durante 90 dias. os animais do grupo controle pesaram 369,63±26,33g e o experimental 215,34±56,31g. Preparados de membrana do íleo foram submetidos à técnica de Giemsa, NADH-e NADPH-diaforase. os animais do GE apresentaram perda de peso de 41,75%, em relação ao GC e redução do comprimento do jejuno-íleo de 17,6%, além disso, o órgão apresentou-se 41% mais leve no GE. os neurônios corados com a técnica de Giemsa apresentaram-se 17,02% mais concentrados no GE (p>0,05). os neurônios NADH-diaforase apresentaram-se 26,60% mais concentrados no GE (p<0,05). E os neurônios NADPH-diaforase apresentaramse 26,28% mais concentrados neste grupo (p<0,05).PAlAvrAs-CHAvE: má nutrição protéica, íleo, rato, neurônio entérico.Paper presented as part of the first author´s graduation monograph to the UNIPAr Nursing Departament; Experimental Neurogastroenterology laboratory -UNIPAr; Umuarama, Pr Brazil. Financial support: UNIPAr.

Characterization of the myenteric neuronal population and subpopulation of the duodenum of adult wistar rat fed with hypoproteic chow

“…Through NADPH-diaphorase, we noticed an increase of the neurons expressing the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) (around 2.20%) for the animals fed with a lack-of-protein diet. Similar result was noticed on the ileum where a 9.2% increase of positive NADPH-d neurons occurred for the animals receiving 4% protein (Moreira et al 2008), demonstrating that these neurons are less vulnerable to cell death (Cowen et al 2000). However, a study with 8% protein demonstrated the occurrence of no alteration on the neuronal density of rat duodenum through NADPH-d histochemistry (Mello et al 2004).…”

“…When we compared our findings with those from other intestinal segments from the same experimental animals, we verified that there is no alteration with respect to the total population for both large and small intestines, but increase of the positive-NADPH-d myenteric neurons in the small intestine (Moreira et al 2008) as well as their decrease in the large intestine , what demonstrated that large intestine suffer more injuries resulting in diarrhea for the decrease of nitrergic neurons and increase of cholinergic neurons responsible for intestinal contraction.…”

“…The effects of malnutrition on the myenteric plexus have been assessed by a number of authors in studies on the total neuronal population (Fiorini et al 1999, Natali et al 2003) and nitrergic subpopulation (Sant'Ana et al 2001, Moreira et al 2008. However, there are a few studies relating the lack of protein of two major myenteric neuronal subpopulations: nitrergic and cholinergic (Cowen et al 2000).…”

Intestinal morphology adjustments caused by dietary restriction improves the nutritional status during the aging process of rats

“…Regarding the external muscle, we verified that it underwent virtually no morphological changes due to the food restriction imposed on the DRG. This is indicative that these rats were probably not protein-energy malnourished, since atrophy of intestinal smooth muscle is common in these cases, as a compensatory mechanism due to lower intake of amino acids in the diet (De Azevedo et al, 2007;Moreira et al, 2008;Hermes et al, 2008;Franco et al, 2010;Sant'Ana et al, 2012;De Lima et al, 2012).…”

Investigação Dos Efeitos Do Ácido 2,4 Diclorofenoxiacético Sobre Diferentes Populações De Neurônios Mioentéricos Do Duodeno De Ratos

“…Alterações nos neurônios do plexo mioentérico são responsabilizadas por manifestações como anorexia, constipação, diarreia, perda de peso, vômitos, náusea, entre outras evidenciadas em diferentes condições experimentais como diabetes, (ZANONI et al, 2005;ALVES et al, 2006;CHANDRASEKHARAN;SRINIVASAN, 2007;SHOTTON;ADAMS;LINCOLN, 2007;PEREIRA et al, 2008;SILVERIO et al, 2009);envelhecimento (SANTER, 1994;JOHNSON et al, 1998;BRITTO MARI et al, 2008;GAGLIARDO et al, 2008); desnutrição (MOREIRA et al, 2008); desnutrição ao longo do envelhecimento (COWEN et al, 2000;SCHOFFEN et al, 2005;ARAÚJO et al, 2006); infecções (SUGAUARA et al, 2008(SUGAUARA et al, , 2009; enterites e colites (BOYER et al 2005(BOYER et al , 2007LOMAX et al, 2006) e carên-cia protéica (ALVES et al, 2009), intoxicações (PEREIRA;STABILLE, 2006;CORREA et al, 2011;PEREIRA et al, 2013).…”