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Altered Gastrointestinal Motility in a Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis
Author(s) -
Spear Estelle,
Lavoie Brigitte,
Applebee Angela,
Teuscher Cory,
Mawe Gary
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.1002.13
Subject(s) - experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis , myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein , multiple sclerosis , medicine , myenteric plexus , motility , immunology , encephalomyelitis , pathology , endocrinology , biology , immunohistochemistry , genetics
Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients often experience constipation, but the etiology of this symptom is unknown. To study this in an animal model, we tested the hypothesis that mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) would exhibit altered gastrointestinal (GI) transit and they would have circulating antibodies directed against targets in enteric ganglia. EAE was induced in C57BL/6J mice by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein. After somatic motor symptoms developed, small intestinal transit was measured by calculating the leading edge (LE) and geometric center (GC) 20 minutes after oral gavage of rhodamine dextran. Whole GI transit time was determined by oral gavage of carmine red and timing the appearance in fecal pellets. Antibody targets were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of guinea pig intestine with EAE and control plasma. Small intestinal transit was significantly slower in EAE mice than in controls (LE, p<0.02; GC, p<0.01), and was not altered in CFA controls. The rate of whole GI transit was significantly longer in EAE mice versus healthy controls (p<0.05). Plasma from EAE mice yielded more intense immunoreactivity in myenteric ganglia than plasma from control animals, with immunostained structures including neurons and nerve processes. In summary, EAE is associated with slowed intestinal motility compared to healthy control mice, which could be representative of the bowel dysmotility exhibited by multiple sclerosis patients. The symptomology may involve the presence of enteric ganglion‐targeted antibodies in the blood of EAE mice. Funding: National MS Society