Changes in the tissue concentrations of several neuropeptides in porcine intestines and intestine-innervating ganglia in the course of porcine proliferative enteropathy

Inflammatory processes are associated with changes in the interplay of different pro- and anti-inflammatory factors, including neuropeptides, in tissue. This study was performed to investigate the influence of proliferative enteropathy on the concentration of several neuropeptides known to be involved in the regulation of the inflammatory process in porcine intestine and intestine-innervating ganglia. The concentration of galanin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, somatostatin, neuropeptide Y, substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide were assayed with ELISA in the coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglion, inferior mesenteric ganglion, selected dorsal root ganglia, ileum and the descending colon in healthy and sick pigs. The concentrations of the studied neuropeptides were higher in sick animals. Statistically significant differences were found for coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglion (galanin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, somatostatin and neuropeptide Y), inferior mesenteric ganglion (galanin, somatostatin and neuropeptide Y), dorsal root ganglia (galanin, somatostatin, neuropeptide Y and calcitonin gene-related peptide), ileum (galanin and somatostatin) and the descending colon (galanin, somatostatin and neuropeptide Y). The data clearly show the influence of the inflammatory process on the concentration of some of the studied neuropeptides present in inflamed tissues and ganglia innervating the inflamed gut. These changes must be associated with the role the studied neuropeptides play in the inflammatory process.