Interstitial cells of Cajal contain signalling molecules for transduction of nitrergic stimulation in guinea pig caecum.

Nitric oxide (NO) is an inhibitory signalling molecule in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that is released from neurons and from leucocytes during inflammation. NO stimulates soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), elevates cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophospate (cGMP), and subsequently activates cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). Targets for NO in the guinea pig caecum were investigated by characterizing the cellular distribution of sGC, cGMP and PKG. Immunoreactivity for both isoforms of sGC, sGCalpha1 and sGCbeta1, was observed in the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) and enteric neurons in the tunica muscularis. Double labelling with anti-Kit and anti-sGC antibodies showed sGCalpha1 and sGCbeta1-like immunoreactivity (LI) in almost all intramuscular (IM) and myenteric ICC. Neuronal processes with neuronal NO synthase were closely apposed to ICC expressing sGC-LI. Cells with sGC-LI possessed ultrastructural features of ICC-IM: caveolae, close association with nerve bundles and contacts with smooth muscle cells (SMC). Sodium nitroprusside, added with the phosphodiesterase inhibitors (3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and zaprinast), enhanced cGMP-LI in almost all ICC and in some enteric neurons. Nerve stimulation also increased cGMP-LI in ICC and enteric neurons. In contrast, no resolvable increase in cGMP-LI was observed in any cells when the sGC inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one was present. ICC and SMC also expressed PKG type I-LI. These data show that ICC express the downstream signalling molecules necessary to transduce nitrergic signals and activate inhibitory pathways and thus are primary targets for NO released from neurons and other cells in the GI tract.