Morphological changes in interstitial cells of Cajal in the deep muscular plexus and enteric motor neurons of the intestine in rats with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal motility dysfunction in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) has been reported to be related to damage to interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). In the enteric nervous system, ICC and smooth muscle cells are connected in a network to form a special functional unit. Many gastrointestinal motility dysfunction diseases are associated with damage to this network. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the morphological changes of intestinal ICC, and to explore the mechanisms underlying gastrointestinal motility dysfunction in rats with MODS. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The randomized, controlled, experiment was performed at the Central Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University of China between June 2007 and March 2009. MATERIALS: Escherichia coli (E. coli strain O127 H6) and bovine serum albumin were purchased from Sigma, USA. METHODS: A total of 40 Wistar rats were equally and randomly divided into MODS group and control group. Suspension of E. coli strain O127 H6 containing BaSO4 and saline were sterilely injected into the abdominal cavity of rats in the MODS and control groups, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Immunohistochemical double-staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to observe the morphological changes in intestinal cholinergic nerves and ICC in the deep muscular plexus network. Electron microscopy was employed to evaluate the ultrastructural features of ICC in the deep muscular plexus of rats with MODS. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the distributions and densities of cholinergic/nitrergic nerves and ICC in the deep muscular plexus were significantly decreased in the MODS group (P < 0.01). The enteric nerve-ICC network were disrupted. CONCLUSION: There is ultrastructural injury in the ICC in the deep muscular plexus and enteric nerves of the intestine in rats with MODS, which may be associated with the dysmotility of the gastrointestinal tract in MODS.