Genome wide impact of loss of mechanoluminal stimulation on neonatal intestine. Homo sapiens

Purpose: Surgical treatment of congenital and neonatal intestinal diseases often requires resection of intestine and/or diverstion of luminal flow. Subsequent growth on enteral nutrition alone depends on adaptation of the remaining bowel. The role of mechanoluminal stimulation in driving intestinal adaptation and the effects of depriving the intestine of mechanoluminal stimulation are unknown. Methods: 5 pairs of intestine from neonatal surgical patients were obtained at ileostomy reversal. The proximal segment contiguous with enteral feeding was denoted “fed” and the distal segment without luminal flow was denoted “unfed". Following RNA extraction, these samples underwent deep sequencing. Results: Fed intestine had increased expression of genes involved in inflammation and immune regulation and steroid secretion. Unfed intestine had increased expression of genes involved in digestion and transport. Conclusion: Independent of external influences, the presence or absence of enteral mechanoluminal stimulation causes significant alterations in gene expression in intestine. Overall design: Profiles of paired fed and unfed neonatal intestine were generated by deep sequencing in triplicate.