Browsing by Author "Abbot, Hailey"

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    Mapping reelin in the gastrointestinal tract: A chemistry-informed approach to colorectal cancer
    (University of Victoria, 2026) Abbot, Hailey; Thom, Sophie; Caruncho, Hector J.; Iosub, Violeta
    Colorectal cancer development may be linked to compromised gut integrity. The expression of reelin, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein proposed to play a role in gut barrier function, has been shown to be affected by chronic stress, indicating a possible link between chronic stress and colorectal cancer development. However, while stress-related changes in reelin expression have been studied in the small intestine, they have not been examined in the large intestine, the primary site of colorectal cancer. This study explored how chronic stress influences reelin-immunoreactive (IR) cell density in the jejunum and colon, as well as regional differences in reelin-IR cell density along the intestinal tract. Long-Evans rats (n = 12) underwent a 21-day corticosterone (CORT) model of chronic stress. Jejunum and colon cross-sections were stained using DAB immunohistochemistry to visualize reelin-IR cells, and their density was measured using an unbiased optical fractionator method. CORT treatment did not significantly alter reelin-IR cell density in either intestinal region. Reelin-IR cell density was significantly lower in the colon than in the jejunum, regardless of treatment. These findings suggest that lower baseline reelin levels in the colon may contribute to its increased susceptibility to colorectal cancer.
 
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