Magdy El-Salhy1,2,3, Tanisa Patcharatrakul4,5, Jan Gunnar Hatlebakk2,3, Trygve Hausken2,3,5, Odd Helge Gilja2,3,6, Sutep Gonlachanvit4,5. 1. a Department of Medicine, Section for Gastroenterology , Stord Helse-Fonna Hospital , Stord , Norway. 2. b Department of Clinical Medicine , University of Bergen , Bergen , Norway. 3. c Department of Medicine, National Centre for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders , Haukeland University Hospital , Bergen , Norway. 4. d Department of Medicine, GI Motility Research Unit, Division of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine , Chulalongkorn University , Bangkok , Thailand. 5. e King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society , Bangkok , Thailand. 6. f Department of Medicine , National Centre for Ultrasound in Gastroenterology, Haukeland University Hospital , Bergen , Norway.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The prevalence, gender distribution and clinical presentation of IBS differ between Asian and Western countries. This study aimed at studying and comparing enteroendocrine, Musashi 1 (Msi 1) and neurogenin 3 (neurog 3) cells in Thai and Norwegian IBS patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty Thai and 61 Norwegian IBS patients as well as 20 Thai and 24 Norwegian controls were included. Biopsy samples were taken from each of the sigmoid colon and the rectum during a standard colonoscopy. The samples were immunostained for serotonin, peptide YY, oxyntomodulin, pancreatic polypeptide, somatostatin, Msi 1 and neurog 3. The densities of immunoreactive cells were determined with computerized image analysis. RESULTS: The densities of several enteroendocrine cell types were altered in both the colon and rectum of both Thai and Norwegian IBS patients. Some of these changes were similar in Thai and Norwegian IBS patients, while others differed. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of abnormal densities of the enteroendocrine cells in Thai patients support the notion that enteroendocrine cells are involved in the pathophysiology of IBS. The present observations highlight that IBS differs in Asian and Western countries, and show that the changes in large-intestine enteroendocrine cells in Thai and Norwegian IBS patients might be caused by different mechanisms.
OBJECTIVES: The prevalence, gender distribution and clinical presentation of IBS differ between Asian and Western countries. This study aimed at studying and comparing enteroendocrine, Musashi 1 (Msi 1) and neurogenin 3 (neurog 3) cells in Thai and Norwegian IBSpatients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty Thai and 61 Norwegian IBSpatients as well as 20 Thai and 24 Norwegian controls were included. Biopsy samples were taken from each of the sigmoid colon and the rectum during a standard colonoscopy. The samples were immunostained for serotonin, peptide YY, oxyntomodulin, pancreatic polypeptide, somatostatin, Msi 1 and neurog 3. The densities of immunoreactive cells were determined with computerized image analysis. RESULTS: The densities of several enteroendocrine cell types were altered in both the colon and rectum of both Thai and Norwegian IBSpatients. Some of these changes were similar in Thai and Norwegian IBSpatients, while others differed. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of abnormal densities of the enteroendocrine cells in Thai patients support the notion that enteroendocrine cells are involved in the pathophysiology of IBS. The present observations highlight that IBS differs in Asian and Western countries, and show that the changes in large-intestine enteroendocrine cells in Thai and Norwegian IBSpatients might be caused by different mechanisms.