Autotransplantation modulates ileal enteroendocrine cell expression in the pig

Enteroendocrine cell-derived peptides modulate postresectional small bowel adaptation, which may be attenuated by transplantation. We investigated whether autotransplantation modulates the number and distribution of ileal enteroendocrine cells in pigs with proximal small bowel resection.

Fifteen pigs were assigned into either small intestinal transection or 75% proximal small intestinal resection with or without autotransplantation of the remaining ileum. After 14 weeks the number and subtype distribution of enteroendocrine cells, crypt cell proliferation, and mucosal histology were analyzed from the proximal and distal ends of the remaining ileum.

When compared to resected controls, autotransplantation of the ileum decreased the absolute (P < 0.05 in proximal ileum) and proportional (P < 0.05 in distal ileum) crypt enteroendocrine cell number. In addition, autotransplantation reduced somatostatin and glicentin expressing cell counts and abolished the proximodistal gradient of the enteroendocrine cell number. When compared to transected controls, villus height, crypt depth, number of proliferating crypt cells, and crypt cell proliferation index increased after the proximal resection (P < 0.05 in all except in crypt depth and proliferation index of the distal ileum) but remained virtually unchanged after autotransplantation of the ileal remnant.

Autotransplantation decreases the crypt enteroendocrine cell number and alters their proximodistal and subtype distribution in the remaining ileum in pigs with proximal small bowel resection. These alterations are associated with attenuated adaptive response of the autotransplanted ileum.