Immunohistochemical Study of Peptidergic Narve in Infantile Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis

It is gradually noted that peptidergic nerves may play an important role in infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.The specimens of pyloric muscles from 20 patients with infantile hypertrophic pyloric (sterosis) were examined by immunohistochemistry in regard to the distribution of ganglion cells and fibers containing enkephalin (ENK),substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in muscles and myenteric plexus.The results showed that three subpopulations of peptide-containing nerve cells and fibers in the circular muscles of control group were remarkable in number,but in patients with pylorie stenosis the number of the nerve fibers was markedly reduced and even missed,especially ENK and VIP fibers.In the myenteric plexus there was no such a reduction of the nerve cells or fibers in either patients or controls.This finding suggests that the abnormality of peptida-containing nerve fibers or an impaired neuronal funetion might result in hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.The mechanism of HPS is discussed briefly in the article.