Figure 7.

In the presence of an intact sympathetic innervation (red neurons), muscularis macrophages (light-green macrophage) express anti-inflammatory genes Arg1, YM1, CD163, and Retnla1 that are reduced upon sympathetic denervation (dark-green macrophage). These muscularis macrophages are early responders upon surgical trauma (intestinal manipulation) of a noninfectious induced inflammation, clinically known as POI. Following the intestinal manipulation, these macrophages become activated and express high levels of alternative activation marker Arg1 and YM1 (light-red macrophage). Preoperative sympathetic denervation reduces these macrophage genes 3 h after intestinal manipulation resulting in a reduced expression of anti-inflammatory genes (dark-red macrophage). In the acute, clinically relevant effector phase of POI, the numbers of blood-derived monocytes (mono), neutrophils (PMN), and monocyte-derived F4/80⁺ macrophages (BMDM) are reduced in the muscularis which led to an accelerated transit time 24 h after intestinal manipulation and improved symptoms of POI.