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The Relationship Between the Esophageal Tissue Content of Neurotensin and the Presence or Absence of Esophageal Inflammation

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Abstract

Neurotensin (NT) decreases lower esophageal sphincter pressure and impedes gastric emptying, thus exacerbating gastroesophageal reflux. The aim was to determine the content of esophageal tissue NT in patients with erosive esophagitis compared to those with normal endoscopy with or without abnormal acid exposure. Consecutive patients (N = 21) with gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms underwent an upper endoscopy, at which two biopsies from opposite walls were obtained from normal-appearing mucosa. Patients with normal upper endoscopy underwent a pH test. NT tissue content was determined using radioimmunoassay. Six patients had erosive esophagitis, seven normal endoscopy but abnormal acid exposure, and eight both normal upper endoscopy and normal acid exposure. The NT/protein ratio was significantly higher in patients with normal upper endoscopy and normal or abnormal pH test compared to those with erosive esophagitis (8.7±1.4 and 8.0±1.2 vs. 3.8±0.5, respectively; P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in NT/protein ratio in patients with normal upper endoscopy with versus those without abnormal acid exposure (P = 0.7). There was no correlation between the extent of acid exposure and the NT/protein ratio. We suggest that the lower tissue content detected in patients with erosive esophagitis may represent a local protective mechanism against gastroesophageal reflux.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Neuro-Enteric Clinical Research Group, Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Southern Arizona VA Health Care System and University of Arizona Health Science Center, Tucson, Arizona

    Roy Dekel, Colleen Green & Ronnie Fass

  2. Department of Physiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

    Robert E. Carraway

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  1. Roy Dekel
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  2. Robert E. Carraway
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  3. Colleen Green
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  4. Ronnie Fass
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Dekel, R., Carraway, R.E., Green, C. et al. The Relationship Between the Esophageal Tissue Content of Neurotensin and the Presence or Absence of Esophageal Inflammation. Dig Dis Sci 49, 42–47 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:DDAS.0000011600.60709.a1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:DDAS.0000011600.60709.a1

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