The Study of Enteroendocrine Cells in Gastrointestinal Autopsies of Parkinson’s Disease Patients
First Advisor
Dr. Jan Just
Date of Award
Spring 6-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology and University Honors
Department
Biology
Language
English
Subjects
Parkinson's Disease, gut-brain axis, enteroendocrine cells
Abstract
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by the loss of dopaminergic neurons, degeneration of the substantia nigra, and the accumulation of alpha-synuclein aggregates (Lewy bodies) (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2023). Emerging evidence implicates the gut-brain axis as a potential early locus of PD pathology, consistent with the proposition that neurodegeneration may originate peripherally in the enteric nervous system before ascending to the central nervous system. To investigate this relationship, we examined enteroendocrine cell (EEC) populations in duodenal mucosal tissue obtained from confirmed Lewy body disease (LBD) and non-PD control cases, quantifying immunoreactive expression of three EEC-associated hormones, chromogranin A (CgA), somatostatin (SST), and motilin, using indirect immunofluorescence staining and laser-scanning confocal microscopy. A statistically significant reduction in SST-positive EEC counts was identified in LBD tissue relative to controls (p = 0.0341), consistent with the central somatostatin deficits previously reported in the cerebrospinal fluid, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala of PD patients. Motilin-positive EECs demonstrated a directionally consistent decline that approached but did not reach significance (p = 0.0508). CgA exhibited a non-significant elevation in LBD tissue. These findings suggest that peripheral EEC hormone dysregulation, particularly SST depletion in the gut mucosa, may constitute an early and accessible manifestation of the systemic somatostatin disruption observed in PD, with implications for the development of gut-based biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets in the prodromal and early stages of Parkinson's.
Recommended Citation
Bui, Quynh Nhu Anna; Scott, Gregory M.D./Ph.D.; and Just, Jan Ph.D., "The Study of Enteroendocrine Cells in Gastrointestinal Autopsies of Parkinson’s Disease Patients" (2026). University Honors Theses. Paper 1807.