Preoperative administration of the 5-HT4 receptor agonist prucalopride reduces intestinal inflammation and shortens postoperative ileus via cholinergic enteric neurons.

Objectives: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), most likely via enteric neurons, prevents postoperative ileus (POI) by reducing activation of alpha7 nicotinic receptor (α7nAChR) positive macrophages (mMφ) and dampening surgery-induced intestinal inflammation. Here, we evaluated if 5-HT4 receptor (5-HT4R) agonist prucalopride can mimic this effect in mice and human.

Design: Using Ca imaging, the effect of electrical field stimulation (EFS) and prucalopride was evaluated in situ on mMφ activation evoked by ATP in jejunal tissue.

CCR2-dependent monocyte-derived macrophages resolve inflammation and restore gut motility in postoperative ileus.

Objective: Postoperative ileus (POI) is assumed to result from myeloid cells infiltrating the intestinal (ME) in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. In the current study, we investigated the role of infiltrating monocytes in a murine model of intestinal manipulation (IM)-induced POI in order to clarify whether monocytes mediate tissue damage and intestinal dysfunction or they are rather involved in the recovery of gastrointestinal (GI) motility.

Design: IM was performed in mice with defective monocyte migration to tissues (C-C motif chemokine receptor 2, mice) and wild-type (WT) mice to study the role of monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MΦs) during onset and resolution of ME inflammation.

Abdominal vagus nerve stimulation as a new therapeutic approach to prevent postoperative ileus.

Background: Electrical stimulation of the cervical vagus nerve (VNS) prevents postoperative ileus (POI) in mice. As this approach requires an additional cervical procedure, we explored the possibility of peroperative abdominal VNS in mice and human.

Methods: The effect of cervical and abdominal VNS was studied in a murine model of POI and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis.

Vagotomy affects the development of oral tolerance and increases susceptibility to develop colitis independently of the alpha-7 nicotinic receptor.

Vagotomy (VGX) increases the susceptibility to develop colitis suggesting a crucial role for the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway in the regulation of the immune responses. Since oral tolerance and the generation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) are crucial to preserve mucosal immune homeostasis, we studied the effect of vagotomy and the involvement of α7 nicotinic receptors (α7nAChR) at the steady state and during colitis. Therefore, the development of both oral tolerance and colitis (induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) or via T cell transfer) was studied in vagotomized mice and in α7nAChR mice.

Smooth muscle and neural dysfunction contribute to different phases of murine postoperative ileus.

Background: Postoperative ileus (POI) is characterized by a transient inhibition of gastrointestinal (GI) motility after abdominal surgery mediated by the inflammation of the muscularis externa (ME). The aim of this study was to identify alterations in the enteric nervous system that may contribute to the pathogenesis of POI.

Methods: Gastrointestinal transit, contractility of isolated smooth muscle strips and inflammatory parameters were evaluated at different time points (1.