Expression of Calretinin in the Cecal Muscularis Interna: Observation and Hypothetical Relevance to Appendicitis

Background: The unexpected observation of calretinin immunoreactivity in smooth muscle cells in the muscularis propria of the cecum led to a more detailed examination of calretinin expression and its possible relationship to propulsive contractile activity around the vermiform appendix. Methods: Imm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatric and developmental pathology 2024-05, Vol.27 (3), p.241-254
Main Author: Kapur, Raj P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Animals
Appendicitis - genetics
Appendicitis - metabolism
Appendicitis - pathology
Appendix - metabolism
Appendix - pathology
Calbindin 2 - genetics
Calbindin 2 - metabolism
Cecum - metabolism
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Mice
Middle Aged
Muscle, Smooth - metabolism
Rabbits
Young Adult
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Summary:Background: The unexpected observation of calretinin immunoreactivity in smooth muscle cells in the muscularis propria of the cecum led to a more detailed examination of calretinin expression and its possible relationship to propulsive contractile activity around the vermiform appendix. Methods: Immunohistochemistry and RNA in situ hybridization were performed to analyze calretinin expression in intestinal samples from 33 patients at ages ranging from mid-gestation fetuses to adults, as well as in some potentially relevant animal models. Dual immunolabeling was done to compare calretinin localization with markers of smooth muscle and interstitial cells of Cajal. Results: Calretinin expression was observed consistently in the innermost smooth muscle layers of the muscularis interna in the human cecum, appendiceal base, and proximal ascending colon, but not elsewhere in the intestinal tract. Calretinin-positive smooth muscle cells did not co-express markers located in adjacent interstitial cells of Cajal. Muscular calretinin immunoreactivity was not detected in the ceca of mice or macaques, species which lack appendices, nor in the rabbit cecum or appendix. Conclusions: Localized expression of calretinin in cecal smooth muscle cells may reduce the likelihood of retrograde, calcium-mediated propulsive contractions from the proximal colon and suppress pro-inflammatory fecal stasis in the appendix.
ISSN:1093-5266
1615-5742
1615-5742
DOI:10.1177/10935266241235507