Comprehensive analysis for mechanism(s) of visceral hypersensitivity associated with morphological changes in glial cells response to stress during a growth process

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24590950
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: TOMINAGA Kazunari 大阪市立大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (80336768)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ARAKAWA Tetsuo 大阪市立大学, 大学院医学研究科, 教授 (60145779) ; FUJIWARA Yasuhiro 大阪市立大学, 大学院医学研究科, 准教授 (40285292) ; WATANABE Toshio 大阪市立大学, 大学院医学研究科, 准教授 (50336773) ; TANIGAWA Tetsuya 大阪市立大学, 大学院医学研究科, 講師 (70423879)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 腸管グリア細胞 / 腸管収縮反応 / 知覚過敏 / 過敏性腸症候群 / ストレス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Male Wistar rats underwent 3-h maternal separation (a chronic stress) during postnatal days 2-14 and 4-h water-immersion stress (an acute stress) in adulthood (at 8 weeks). Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression and the number of enteric neurons were unchanged by these stresses. The density of GFAP-positive EGC processes overlapped with the neurons and the extent of bulbous swelling of terminals increased according to the stress intensity: control, acute stress, maternal separation, and combination. Electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced colonic contractions were significantly greater in the combined stress rats than in controls. Colonic EGCs exhibited structural alterations according to the stress intensity and associated with stress-induced colonic hyper-contraction, which may underlie the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome.

Free Research Field

消化器内科学