In order to investigate the relationship between the expression of heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2) mRNA and the pathogenesis of Hirschsprung's disease (HD), total ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted in the aganglionic and ganglionic segments of colon respectively from 15 cases of HD. The single-stranded cDNA of HO-2 was synthesized and further amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of HO-2 mRNA was normal in ganglionic segments, but absent in aganglionic segments. It is concluded that the absence of HO-2 mRNA expression may be an important mechanism responsible for HD.
Colon/enzymology ; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)/biosynthesis ; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)/*genetics ; Hirschsprung Disease/*enzymology ; Hirschsprung Disease/etiology ; Hirschsprung Disease/genetics ; RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger/genetics

In order to investigate the relationship between the expression of heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2) mRNA and the pathogenesis of Hirschsprung's disease (HD), total ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted in the aganglionic and ganglionic segments of colon respectively from 15 cases of HD. The single-stranded cDNA of HO-2 was synthesized and further amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of HO-2 mRNA was normal in ganglionic segments, but absent in aganglionic segments. It is concluded that the absence of HO-2 mRNA expression may be an important mechanism responsible for HD.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Colon ; enzymology ; Female ; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hirschsprung Disease ; enzymology ; etiology ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Rectal suction biopsy with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemistry has gained increased acceptance as the means of definitely diagnosing Hirschsprung's disease (HD) as well as of excluding this diagnosis when evaluating children with low intestinal obstruction or chronic constipation since the report of Meier-Ruge et al. in 1972. But this AChE histochemical study has not been reported yet in Korea. During the 14-month period from April, 1991 through June, 1992, 37 children, aged 3 days to 17 years had rectal suction biopsies for the diagnosis or exclusion of HD. In this study, AChE histochemistry (N = 37) was compared with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) staining of same suction biopsy specimens (N = 35) for diagnostic accuracy. The histochemical criterion used for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease was that of Chow et al. (1977), i.e., the presence of many coarse discrete cholinergic fibers in the muscularis mucosae and in the immediately subjacent submucosa regardless of an infiltration of cholinergic fibers in the lamina propria. Of 13 biopsies from the patients with Hirschsprung's disease (N = 13), there were 12 positive reactions, and one false negative reaction in a neonate with total colonic aganglionosis. All biopsies from 24 unaffected children demonstrated negative reactions with no false positive reaction. In comparison, of the 35 specimens examined by H and E staining, ganglion cells were present in the submucosal Meissner's plexus only in 15 of these 24 unaffected children. In conclusion, a 97% diagnostic accuracy was achieved with AChE histochemistry compared with a 74% accuracy with H and E staining (P < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Acetylcholinesterase/*analysis ; Adolescent ; Biopsy/methods ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hirschsprung Disease/enzymology/*pathology ; Histocytochemistry ; Histological Techniques ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Rectum/enzymology/*pathology ; Suction