Intestinal Lymph Collection via Cannulation of the Mesenteric Lymphatic Duct in Mice

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Surgical Techniques
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Collecting mesenteric lymph in mice is challenging due to low lymph production and fragile vasculature.
• Previous methods, like open lymph fistula, had low success rates, especially after bariatric surgery.
• Bariatric procedures can cause adhesions and gastrointestinal rearrangements, further complicating lymph collection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize a technique for cannulating the mesenteric lymph duct (MLD) in mice.
• To assess the feasibility of collecting mesenteric lymph in mice undergoing bile diversion (gallbladder to ileum - GB-IL).
• To investigate changes in peptide YY (PYY) levels in mesenteric lymph post-nutrient infusion in GB-IL mice.

Main Methods:

• Developed a refined cannulation technique for the MLD using a needled-catheter.
• Applied the technique to collect mesenteric lymph from mice undergoing GB-IL procedures.
• Measured PYY levels in collected mesenteric lymph after nutrient infusion.

Main Results:

• The optimized MLD cannulation technique demonstrated high success rates (>95%), maintaining vessel integrity and minimizing leakage.
• Mesenteric lymph PYY levels were significantly elevated after nutrient infusion in mice that underwent GB-IL.
• The procedure is efficient, taking approximately 20 minutes, but requires surgical expertise.

Conclusions:

• Mesenteric lymph duct cannulation is a viable and highly successful method for collecting intestinal lymph in mice.
• This technique is effective even in mice that have undergone complex bariatric surgical procedures like GB-IL.
• The optimized method facilitates studies on lymph composition, such as PYY levels, in various physiological and surgical contexts.