Colonic dilation and altered ex vivo gastrointestinal motility in the neuroligin-3 knockout mouse

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction is commonly reported by people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; autism) but the cause is unknown. Mutations in genes encoding synaptic proteins including Neuroligin-3 are associated with autism. Mice lacking Neuroligin-3 (Nlgn3-/- ) have altered brain function, but whether the enteric nervous system (ENS) is altered remains unknown. We assessed for changes in GI structure and function in Nlgn3-/- mice. We found no significant morphological differences in villus height or crypt depth in the jejunum or colon between wildtype (WT) and Nlgn3-/- mice. To determine whether deletion of Nlgn3 affects enteric neurons, we stained for neural markers in the..