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Am J Perinatol 2021; 38(11): 1174-1180
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1710558
Original Article

Mucins and Tight Junctions are Severely Altered in Necrotizing Enterocolitis Neonates

Dong Liu
1   Department of Neonatology, People's Hospital of Shenzhen, 2nd Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
,
Yanzhen Xu
1   Department of Neonatology, People's Hospital of Shenzhen, 2nd Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
,
Jinxing Feng
2   Department of Neonatology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
,
Jialin Yu
3   Department of Pediatrics, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
,
Jinjie Huang
1   Department of Neonatology, People's Hospital of Shenzhen, 2nd Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
,
Zhiguang Li
1   Department of Neonatology, People's Hospital of Shenzhen, 2nd Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
› Author Affiliations Funding This work was supported by Shenzhen Healthcare Research Project (No. 201605003).
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Abstract

Objective This study investigates the expression levels of mucin 1 (MUC1), MUC2, occludin, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

Study Design Intestinal specimens of surgical patients suffering from NEC (the NEC group) and intestinal specimens of patients with congenital intestinal atresia (the control group) were collected. Immunohistochemical changes in MUC1, MUC2, occludin, and ZO-1 were compared between the two groups.

Results Our study showed a significant decrease in the expression levels of MUC1 (p = 0.004), MUC2 (p = 0.001), occludin (p = 0.004), and ZO-1 (p = 0.013) in neonates suffering from NEC as compared with the control group.

Conclusion Mucins and tight junctions are severely altered in NEC neonates. This finding might provide clues for rupture of the intestinal barrier. Further research is needed to investigate the gene expression as well as the exact mechanisms behind these changes. This will help us better understand the role of the intestinal barrier in NEC.

Key Points

  • Mucins and tight junctions are severely altered in NEC neonates.

  • We first demonstrate that the expression levels of MUC1are obviously reduced in neonates suffering from NEC.

  • Expression levels of MUC2, occludin, and ZO-1, are also significantly decreased in neonates suffering from NEC.

Keywords

NEC - MUC1 - MUC2 - ZO-1 - occluding - intestinal barrier


Publication History

Received: 19 February 2020

Accepted: 13 April 2020

Article published online:
23 May 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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