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Serotonergic signalling in the stomach and duodenum of patients with gastroparesis
Author(s) -
Van Lelyveld N.,
Ter Linde J.,
Schipper M.,
Samsom M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
neurogastroenterology and motility
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.489
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1365-2982
pISSN - 1350-1925
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2982.2007.01068.x
Subject(s) - serotonergic , duodenum , gastroparesis , serotonin , medicine , endocrinology , 5 ht receptor , antrum , tryptophan hydroxylase , stomach , receptor , gastric emptying , gastroenterology , biology
Serotonin (5‐HT) is involved in the regulation of motoric and sensory functions of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the current study was to determine whether serotonergic signalling is altered in patients with idiopathic gastroparesis. Mucosal biopsy specimens were collected from the duodenum, antrum and fundus of 11 patients with idiopathic gastroparesis and 11 healthy controls. Neuroendocrine cells, specifically 5‐HT producing cells, were counted after immunohistochemistry, and non‐neuronal mRNA expression levels of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH)‐1, 5‐HT transport protein (SERT), 5‐HT 3 and 5‐HT 4 receptor were quantified by real time RT‐PCR. The number of 5‐HT producing cells was comparable between patients and controls. No difference in expression of TPH‐1 (rate limiting enzyme in 5‐HT biosynthetic pathway) and SERT (responsible for 5‐HT uptake) was found between patients and controls ( P > 0.05). In the duodenum, the expression of the 5‐HT 3 receptor subunits and the 5‐HT 4 receptor was comparable between both groups. However, the 5‐HT 4(c) splice variant was expressed more abundantly in healthy controls compared to patients ( P = 0.015). This study suggests that the delayed gastric emptying and upper abdominal symptoms in idiopathic gastroparesis do not result from altered mucosal 5‐HT biosynthetic and uptake capacity .