The Gut’s Little Brain in Control of Intestinal Immunity

Figure 2

MMCP-1 in peritoneal lavage. Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve in mice leads to decreased release of mast cell specific products in the peritoneal cavity. Shown are the levels of mouse mast cell specific protease 1 (mmcp-1) in the peritoneal cavity of mice that underwent vagal nerve stimulation of the cervical nerve 30 minutes before laparotomy control (L) or intestinal manipulation (IM) surgery. The effects of VNS depend on activation of the nAChR β2 [52], as VNS has no effect on mice deficient in this receptor. Unpublished data, S. A. Snoek, Tytgat Institute, 2012.