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The Assessment of CDX1, IHH, SHH, GATA4, FOXA2, FOXF1 in Congenital Intra-Abdominal Adhesions
Helēna Freijere Pope1, Māra Pilmane1, Anna Junga1
1Institute of Anatomy and Anthropology, Riga Stradiņš University, Riga, Latvia.
Insights
Congenital abdominal adhesions, a rare cause of bowel obstruction, may involve specific gene expressions. This study found significant correlations between CDX1 and SHH gene expression in fibroblasts and CDX1 and IHH in adhesion cells.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Gastroenterology
- Genetics
Background:
- Congenital abdominal adhesions are rare but can cause life-threatening small bowel obstructions.
- The etiology of these adhesions is largely unknown, highlighting the need for further research.
- Aberrant congenital bands pose diagnostic challenges, with documented cases of mortality due to delayed detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the gene expression of CDX1, IHH, SHH, GATA4, FOXA2, and FOXF1 in human congenital abdominal adhesion cells.
- To elucidate the potential role of these genes in the development of congenital intra-abdominal adhesions.
- To compare gene expression in fibroblast and endothelium cells from adhesions versus control tissues.
Main Methods:
- Chromogenic in situ hybridization was employed to examine gene expression.
- Fibroblast and endothelium cells from congenital abdominal adhesions and control peritoneal tissue were analyzed.
- A semi-quantitative approach was used to assess gene signal intensity.
Main Results:
- Significant correlations were observed for CDX1 and SHH gene expression in fibroblasts from adhesions compared to controls.
- Strong correlations were found between CDX1 and IHH gene expression when comparing endothelium and fibroblast cells within adhesion bands.
- No significant differences in IHH, FOXA2, GATA4, and FOXF1 expression were found between patient and control groups.
Conclusions:
- The study suggests a potential association between CDX1, SHH, and IHH gene expression and the development of congenital intra-abdominal adhesions.
- Distinct gene expression patterns indicate the involvement of multiple morpho-pathogenetic processes in adhesion formation.
- Further research is warranted to fully understand the genetic underpinnings of congenital abdominal adhesions.
Abstract:
Congenital abdominal adhesions are a rare condition that can result in a small bowel obstruction at any age, more frequently in pediatric populations. The cause remains unknown, and the importance of aberrant congenital bands is related to the difficulty of diagnosis, and cases of death with late detection have been documented. This research examines the expression of Caudal Type Homeobox 1 (CDX1), Indian Hedgehog (IHH), Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), GATA Binding Protein 4 (GATA4), Forkhead Box A2 (FOXA2) and Forkhead Box F1 (FOXF1) gene expression in human abdominal congenital adhesion fibroblast and endothelium cells by chromogenic in situ hybridization, with the aim of elucidating their potential association with the etiology of congenital intra-abdominal adhesion band development. The potential genes' signals were examined using a semi-quantitative approach. Significant correlations were observed between the expression of CDX1 (p <.001) and SHH (p=0.032) genes in fibroblasts from congenital intra-abdominal adhesions compared to fibroblasts from control peritoneal tissue. Statistically significant very strong correlations were found between the CDX1 and IHH comparing endothelium and fibroblast cells in congenital abdominal adhesion bands. There was no statistically significant difference found in the distribution of IHH, FOXA2, GATA4, and FOXF1 between the fibroblasts and endothelium of the patients compared to the control group. The presence of notable distinctions and diverse associations suggests the potential involvement of numerous morpho-pathogenetic processes in the development of intraabdominal adhesions.
