Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P01350 (gastrin)
 9,683 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Hirschsprung's disease (Megacolon congenitum) is characterized by a sustained contraction of a segment of the large intestine and a consequent enlargement of the preceding gut segment. Morphologically, Hirschsprung's disease is characterized by an absence of neuronal cell bodies in the intramural ganglia of the contracted segment. An additional characteristic finding is the presence of enlarged nerve trunks in the submucosa and in the layer separating the circular and longitudinal muscle layers. These nerve trunks contain abundant acetylcholine esterase (AChE)-positive nerve fibers. The nerve fiber hyperplasia together with an increased amount of acetylcholine as well as AChE activity in the aganglionic segment suggests a cholinergic hyperinnervation. There are other reports claiming an adrenergic hyperinnervation in the aganglionic segment. Recent studies on the peptidergic innervation of the afflicted intestinal segment have demonstrated marked reduction in the density of nerve fibers storing vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), substance P (SP), enkephalin and gastrin releasing peptide (GRP). The frequency of nerve fibers storing calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and galanin seems less affected. Interestingly, nerve fibers storing neuropeptide Y (NPY) are more frequent than normally in the aganglionic segment, the circular muscle being penetrated by numerous NPY-containing nerve fibers. Thus, neuropeptides have turned out to be interesting and promising new markers in the histochemical diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease. Other possibilities for the histochemical diagnosis includes the immunocytochemical demonstration of general neuronal markers such as neurospecific enolase (NEC), neurofilament and chromogranins. Techniques demonstrating the cholinergic and adrenergic hyperinnervation in the aganglionic intestine such as AChE staining and staining for adrenergic nerves are also of interest for the diagnosis.
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PMID:Neuronal markers in Hirschsprung's disease with special reference to neuropeptides. 208 Feb 35

Motilin, pancreatic polypeptide and gastrin blood concentrations in response to drinking water have been studied in 40 patients with functional bowel disease and compared with results in two groups of healthy control subjects. Patients with slow transit constipation and idiopathic megacolon showed impaired motilin release. Pancreatic polypeptide release was reduced in patients with slow transit constipation, but increased in those with functional diarrhoea. Gastrin release was impaired in all groups complaining of chronic constipation. Circulating motilin, pancreatic polypeptide and gastrin concentrations appear to bear some relationship to intestinal transit time in patients with functional bowel disorders.
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PMID:Positive correlation between symptoms and circulating motilin, pancreatic polypeptide and gastrin concentrations in functional bowel disorders. 405 4

Thyroid disease is common, and its effects on the gastrointestinal system are protean, affecting most hollow organs. Hashimoto disease, the most common cause of hypothyroidism, may be associated with an esophageal motility disorder presenting as dysphagia or heartburn. Dyspepsia, nausea, or vomiting may be due to delayed gastric emptying. Abdominal discomfort, flatulence, and bloating occur in those with bacterial overgrowth and improve with antibiotics. Reduced acid production may be due to autoimmune gastritis or low gastrin levels. Constipation may result from diminished motility, leading to an ileus, megacolon, or rarely pseudoobstruction. Ascites in myxedema is characterized by a high protein concentration. Graves' disease accounts for 60% to 80% of thyrotoxicosis. Hyperthyroidism is accompanied by normal gastric emptying with low acid production, partly due to an autoimmune gastritis with hypergastrinemia. Transit time from mouth to cecum is accelerated, resulting in diarrhea. Steatorrhea is due to hyperphagia and stimulation of the adrenergic system. Diarrhea in medullary carcinoma of the thyroid (MCT) may be due to elevated calcitonin, prostaglandins, or 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. Ileal or colonic function may be abnormal. The esophagus may be compressed by benign processes, but more often by malignancies. MRI and CT scans are the best diagnostic modalities. The gastrointestinal manifestations of thyroid disease are generally due to reduced motility in hypothyroidism, increased motility in hyperthyroidism, autoimmune gastritis, or esophageal compression by a thyroid process. Symptoms usually resolve with treatment of the thyroid disease.
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PMID:The thyroid and the gut. 2035 69