Neuro-immune interaction in postoperative ileus: new targets for treatment

Postoperative ileus (POI) is the transient inhibition of co-ordinated bowel motility after surgery resulting in delayed transit of intestinal contents, intolerance of oral intake and inability to defecate. The main underlying pathophysiological mechanism is intestinal inflammation. Anti-inflammatory intervention is therefore a potential treatment for POI. We have recently demonstrated that stimulation of the n. vagus has an anti-inflammatory action resulting in attenuation of inflammation and POI. This effect is mediated by acetylcholine (ACh) which inhibits intestinalmacrophages through interaction with α7 nicotinic ACh receptors. It is however unknown how the vagus anatomically interacts with the intestinal immune system. This PhD research focuses on the study of morphologic and functional interaction of the n. vagus and the intestinal immune system the characterization of the cells involved in this pathway and totest ghrelin as pharmacological activator of the CAIP in the murine model of POI.

Keywords:Gastro-enterology

Disciplines:Endocrinology and metabolic diseases, Biomarker discovery and evaluation, Drug discovery and development, Medicinal products, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacognosy and phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Pharmacotherapy, Toxicology and toxinology, Other pharmaceutical sciences, Gastro-enterology and hepatology

Project type:PhD project