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Battaglia E, Bassotti G, Bellone G, Dughera L, Serra AM, Chiusa L, Repici A, Mioli P, Emanuelli G. Loss of interstitial cells of Cajal network in severe idiopathic gastroparesis. World J Gastroenterol 2006; 12(38): 6172-6177 [PMID: 17036390 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i38.6172]
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 14, 2006; 12(38): 6172-6177 Published online Oct 14, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i38.6172
Loss of interstitial cells of Cajal network in severe idiopathic gastroparesis
Edda Battaglia, Gabrio Bassotti, Graziella Bellone, Luca Dughera, Anna Maria Serra, Luigi Chiusa, Alessandro Repici, Pierroberto Mioli, Giorgio Emanuelli
Edda Battaglia, Graziella Bellone, Luca Dughera, Anna Maria Serra, Alessandro Repici, Giorgio Emanuelli, Department of Gastroenterology and Clinical Nutrition, University of Torino, Italy
Luigi Chiusa, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Torino, Italy
Pierroberto Mioli, Department of Emergency Surgical Unit, San Giovanni Battista Hospital, Torino, Italy
Gabrio Bassotti, Gastroenterology Section, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Italy
Supported by a grant from MIUR (Roma,Italy) to G Emanuelli and partly by a grant from Regione Piemonte to G Bellone
Correspondence to: Dr. Gabrio Bassotti, Strada del Cimitero, 2/a, San Marco (Perugia) 06131, Italy. gabassot@tin.it
Telephone: +39-75-5783268 Fax: +39-75-5847570
Received: July 31, 2004 Revised: July 2, 2005 Accepted: July 6, 2005 Published online: October 14, 2006
Abstract
AIM: To report a case of severe idiopathic gastroparesis in complete absence of Kit-positive gastric interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC).
METHODS: Gastric tissue from a patient with severe idiopathic gastroparesis unresponsive to medical treatment and requiring surgery was analyzed by conventional histology and immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS: Gastric pacemaker cells expressing Kit receptor had completely disappeared while the local level of stem cell factor, the essential ligand for its development and maintenance, was increased. No signs of cell death were observed in the pacemaker region.
CONCLUSION: These results are consistent with the hypothesis that a lack of Kit expression may lead to impaired functioning of ICC. Total gastrectomy proves to be curative.
