Transcriptomic characterization of colon smooth muscle in young murine.

The enteric nervous system (ENS) and SIP (Smooth muscle cells-Interstitial cells of Cajal-PDGFRα+ cells) syncytium play an important role in controlling gastrointestinal motility. This study aimed to investigate the dynamic regulatory mechanisms of the ENS-SIP system on colon motility during postnatal development. Colonic samples of postnatal 1 week (PW1), PW3, and PW5 old murine were characterized by RNA sequencing, qRT-PCR, and immunoblotting. The current study showed that ENS and glial cells including ICCs and PDGFRα+ cells become increasingly mature in both the postnatal proximal and distal colon. The transcriptional expression of Pdgfrα, c-Kit, P2ry1, Nos1, and Slc18a3, and the protein expression of nNOS, c-Kit, and ANO1 significantly increased with age. In conclusion, during postnatal development, molecular data demonstrated the gradual maturation of ICC and PDGFRα+ cells, including nitrergic and cholinergic nerves and purinergic receptors. Our findings are important in understanding the role of ENS and interstitial cells with specific receptors for the generation of mature colonic migrating motor complexes in young murine colons. There are three groups included in this study, PW1, PW3 and PW5. Three biological replicates (i.e. 3 animals) were used in each group. And, PW1 samples were used as controls.