ICC density predicts bacterial overgrowth in a rat model of post-infectious IBS

Figure 1 The number of interstitial cells of Cajal per villus in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. C-: Rats that received vehicle gavage; C+/SIBO-: Rats gavaged with Campylobacter but which did not develop small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO); C+/SIBO+: Rats gavaged with Campylobacter that later developed SIBO. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.001 vs control.

Figure 2 Interstitial cells of Cajal (arrows) in the ileum stained with CD117 (magnification 40 ×). A: Control rat; B: Rat exposed to Campylobacter that did not develop small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), demonstrating persistent CD117 staining of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) cells; C: Rat exposed to Campylobacter that developed SIBO, demonstrating a reduction in CD117 staining of ICC cells. In this case, the staining is slight and the arrow indicates a “possible” stained cell.

Figure 3 The effect of Campylobacter on interstitial cells of Cajal is greater in the distal small bowel (based on one-way analysis of variance).