Distribution of nociceptin/orphanin FQ in gastrointestinal tract of rat and its significance

    LI Haiª²Yan1,YAN Xiang1,GUO Yingª²Fang2,WANG Jinª²Yang1,WANG Hong3

    1Department of Geriatrics,First Affiliated Hospital,Lanzhou Medical College,2 Department of Pathology,People¬ðs Hospital of Gansu Province,Lanzhou 730000,China,3 Department of Gastroenterology,Hospital of Jinchuan Coorperation Company,Jinchang 737100,China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To investigate the distribution of nociceptin/orphanin FQ,endogenous opioid receptor like 1 receptor (ORLI) ligand,in the gastrointestinal tract of rats.METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining (Sª²P method) was used to determine the presence and distribution of nociceptin/orphanin FQ in the esophagus,stomach,small intestine,proximal colon and distal colon of rats.RESULTS: Orphanin FQ immunoreactive (OFQª²IR) neurons and nerve fibers were visualized in the myenteric plexus of esophagus,stomach,intestine and colon of rats.CONCLUSION: Orphanin FQ is widely distributed in the enteric nervous system of the rat. It may be involved in the gastrointestinal motility,endocrine,mucosa blood stream and immunity of the gastrointestinal tract. ......