Distribution of substance P-, methionine-enkephalin-, somatostatin- and serotonin-immunoreactive nerve elements of the large bowel in Hirschsprung's disease.

The distribution of substance P-, methionine-enkephalin-, somatostatin- and 5-hydroxytryptamine-immunoreactive nerve elements in Hirschsprung's disease was studied. It was compared to the distribution of the comparable nerve elements in the sigmoid colon and rectum of control children. A reduction of substance P-, methionine-enkephalin- and 5-hydroxytryptamine-immunoreactive fibers as well as a higher density of somatostatin-immunoreactive fibers were found in the aganglionic segment in Hirschsprung gut as compared to those in the ganglionic segment in Hirschsprung children and the large bowel in control children. The changes in the density of peptide- and 5-hydroxytryptamine-immunoreactive fibers suggest the participation of different transmitters or transmitter candidates in the pathogenesis of Hirschsprung's disease.