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Substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide are reduced in right transverse colon in pediatric slow-transit

S K King1, J R Sutcliffe, S-Y Ong

  • 1Department of General Surgery, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

Neurogastroenterology and Motility
|June 10, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric slow-transit constipation (STC) may involve reduced nerve fibers. Specifically, children with STC showed lower substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) nerve density in the proximal colon compared to controls.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Colorectal Surgery

Background:

  • Slow-transit constipation (STC) is a recognized pediatric condition with an unknown etiology.
  • Abnormalities in neurotransmitters like substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and nitric oxide (NO) are suspected contributors to STC.
  • Nerve fiber density in the colon's circular muscle layer is a key area of investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the density of nerve fibers containing SP, VIP, and NO in the colonic circular muscle of children with STC.
  • To compare these findings with pediatric controls (normal colonic transit and anorectal retention) and adult samples.
  • To investigate potential age-related and regional variations in these nerve fibers.

Main Methods:

  • Colonic biopsies from the transverse and sigmoid colon were obtained from adults and children.
  • Fluorescence immunohistochemistry was used to detect nerve fibers containing NO synthase (NOS), VIP, and SP.
  • Confocal microscopy quantified the percentage area of nerve fibers for each transmitter in the circular muscle.

Main Results:

  • Nerve fiber density followed the order NOS > VIP > SP in the colon's circular muscle.
  • Pediatric samples exhibited higher nerve fiber density than adult samples.
  • Children with STC had significantly lower SP and VIP nerve fiber density in the proximal colon compared to children with normal transit.

Conclusions:

  • Age-related decreases in colon circular muscle nerve fiber density were observed.
  • SP nerve fiber density showed regional variation, being higher in the distal colon.
  • A subset of pediatric STC patients (approximately 1/3) presented with reduced SP or VIP nerve fiber density in the proximal colon, suggesting a potential etiological link.
Abstract

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