Serotonin and Melatonin in Human Lower Gastrointestinal Tract
Background and Aims. Melatonin is a ubiquitous hormone produced not only by the pineal gland but also by other organs and tissues. It is involved in the regulation of several gastrointestinal functions. The main cells responsible for the production and release of extrapineal melatonin are the entero...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/2/204 |
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| author | Rosa Vaccaro Arianna Casini Carola Severi Antonietta Lamazza Annamaria Pronio Rossella Palma |
| author_facet | Rosa Vaccaro Arianna Casini Carola Severi Antonietta Lamazza Annamaria Pronio Rossella Palma |
| author_sort | Rosa Vaccaro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background and Aims. Melatonin is a ubiquitous hormone produced not only by the pineal gland but also by other organs and tissues. It is involved in the regulation of several gastrointestinal functions. The main cells responsible for the production and release of extrapineal melatonin are the enterochromaffin (EC) cells that produce serotonin. They are involved in the pathogenesis of neuromotor disorders that characterize functional gastrointestinal disorders and in the pathophysiology of inflammatory intestinal diseases. Our aim was the immunohistochemical highlighting on biopsy samples of normal gastrointestinal mucosa and in ulcerative colitis (UC) of immunoreactive cells for melatonin and serotonin in order to identify any differences in their distribution. Materials and Methods. Our prospective case-control study involves the highlighting on human mucosal biopsies of immunoreactive cells for melatonin and serotonin. All patients undergoing colonoscopy + ileoscopy were considered eligible for the study, divided into two groups: 1. patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC); 2. control group consisting of patients undergoing endoscopic examination for colorectal cancer screening. Results. Twenty-one patients were enrolled. The controls had a higher concentration of EC cells containing 5HT particularly in the rectum (<i>p</i> value ≤ 0.05). In patients with active colitis the expression of 5-HT-iR was greater in all tracts of the colon. The correlation analysis in UC patients shows that a higher expression of 5-HT-iR+ cells corresponds to a lower extension of the disease and a greater severity of the same. Conclusions. 5HT+ cells decreased in the case of UC compared to healthy controls. In the severe disease, there was an increase in the expression of melatonin-secreting cells, probably as a compensatory response to the inflammation and oxidative stress. This increase is negatively correlated with the extent of the disease and positively with the severity of the same. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:03:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-94e19268bf034f8fb172935bb4842756 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:03:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-94e19268bf034f8fb172935bb48427562023-11-30T21:51:25ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182023-01-0113220410.3390/diagnostics13020204Serotonin and Melatonin in Human Lower Gastrointestinal TractRosa Vaccaro0Arianna Casini1Carola Severi2Antonietta Lamazza3Annamaria Pronio4Rossella Palma5Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of General, Plastic and Urologic Surgery, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of General Surgery and Surgical Specialties, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of General Surgery and Surgical Specialties, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, ItalyBackground and Aims. Melatonin is a ubiquitous hormone produced not only by the pineal gland but also by other organs and tissues. It is involved in the regulation of several gastrointestinal functions. The main cells responsible for the production and release of extrapineal melatonin are the enterochromaffin (EC) cells that produce serotonin. They are involved in the pathogenesis of neuromotor disorders that characterize functional gastrointestinal disorders and in the pathophysiology of inflammatory intestinal diseases. Our aim was the immunohistochemical highlighting on biopsy samples of normal gastrointestinal mucosa and in ulcerative colitis (UC) of immunoreactive cells for melatonin and serotonin in order to identify any differences in their distribution. Materials and Methods. Our prospective case-control study involves the highlighting on human mucosal biopsies of immunoreactive cells for melatonin and serotonin. All patients undergoing colonoscopy + ileoscopy were considered eligible for the study, divided into two groups: 1. patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC); 2. control group consisting of patients undergoing endoscopic examination for colorectal cancer screening. Results. Twenty-one patients were enrolled. The controls had a higher concentration of EC cells containing 5HT particularly in the rectum (<i>p</i> value ≤ 0.05). In patients with active colitis the expression of 5-HT-iR was greater in all tracts of the colon. The correlation analysis in UC patients shows that a higher expression of 5-HT-iR+ cells corresponds to a lower extension of the disease and a greater severity of the same. Conclusions. 5HT+ cells decreased in the case of UC compared to healthy controls. In the severe disease, there was an increase in the expression of melatonin-secreting cells, probably as a compensatory response to the inflammation and oxidative stress. This increase is negatively correlated with the extent of the disease and positively with the severity of the same.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/2/204enterochromaffin cellsserotoninmelatoninlower gastrointestinal tractinflammatory diseaseulcerative colitis |
| spellingShingle | Rosa Vaccaro Arianna Casini Carola Severi Antonietta Lamazza Annamaria Pronio Rossella Palma Serotonin and Melatonin in Human Lower Gastrointestinal Tract Diagnostics enterochromaffin cells serotonin melatonin lower gastrointestinal tract inflammatory disease ulcerative colitis |
| title | Serotonin and Melatonin in Human Lower Gastrointestinal Tract |
| title_full | Serotonin and Melatonin in Human Lower Gastrointestinal Tract |
| title_fullStr | Serotonin and Melatonin in Human Lower Gastrointestinal Tract |
| title_full_unstemmed | Serotonin and Melatonin in Human Lower Gastrointestinal Tract |
| title_short | Serotonin and Melatonin in Human Lower Gastrointestinal Tract |
| title_sort | serotonin and melatonin in human lower gastrointestinal tract |
| topic | enterochromaffin cells serotonin melatonin lower gastrointestinal tract inflammatory disease ulcerative colitis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/2/204 |
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