Reviewer's report
Title:Distribution of enteric glia and GDNF during gut inflammation
Version: 1Date:19 November 2010
Reviewer: Helena HTH Tlaskalova-Hogenova
Reviewer's report:
Manuscript "Distribution of enteric glia .." deals with important topics. Involvement
of enteric glia and GDNF in intestinal inflammation is very actual and interesting
issue. Authors found increased numbers of enteric glial cells in gut of patients
with ulcerative colitis and infectious colitis. In contrast, reduced expression of
GFAP and GDNF was found in the colon of CD patients. The description of the
Methods and Results is however not sufficient to convince the readers about the
results.
Major Revisions:
I miss more detailed description of the patient´s group (e.g. period of taking the
biopsy - activation or remission, how this is activity was graded etc). The
description (definition) of inflammed and non inflammed colonic biopsies is not
sufficient. I miss also the description from which areas of colon the specimens
were taken (tissue distribution of samples).
I would recommend to describe at least briefly preparation of the samples for
GFAP levels measurement.
From the Results it is not clear if the glial cells were identified in plexus
submucosus or directly in lamina propria. To improve the microscopical finding it
would be important to stain also neurons (to see the relationship with glial cells).
To determine the type of cells expressing GFAP and GDNF is not possible from
presented figures.
Minor Revisions:
I recommend to improve description of Figure 1 to precize the localization of the
GFAP and GDNF expressing cells and to determine the areas where biopsies
were taken.
In Discussion I would recommend to add some references related to sentence
"that innate defects of the enteric glia network lead to a leaky mucosal barrier
which influences the adpative immune system".
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
Reviewer's report
Title:Distribution of enteric glia and GDNF during gut inflammation
Version: 1Date:19 November 2010
Reviewer: Helena HTH Tlaskalova-Hogenova
Reviewer's report:
Manuscript "Distribution of enteric glia .." deals with important topics. Involvement
of enteric glia and GDNF in intestinal inflammation is very actual and interesting
issue. Authors found increased numbers of enteric glial cells in gut of patients
with ulcerative colitis and infectious colitis. In contrast, reduced expression of
GFAP and GDNF was found in the colon of CD patients. The description of the
Methods and Results is however not sufficient to convince the readers about the
results.
Major Revisions:
I miss more detailed description of the patient´s group (e.g. period of taking the
biopsy - activation or remission, how this is activity was graded etc). The
description (definition) of inflammed and non inflammed colonic biopsies is not
sufficient. I miss also the description from which areas of colon the specimens
were taken (tissue distribution of samples).
I would recommend to describe at least briefly preparation of the samples for
GFAP levels measurement.
From the Results it is not clear if the glial cells were identified in plexus
submucosus or directly in lamina propria. To improve the microscopical finding it
would be important to stain also neurons (to see the relationship with glial cells).
To determine the type of cells expressing GFAP and GDNF is not possible from
presented figures.
Minor Revisions:
I recommend to improve description of Figure 1 to precize the localization of the
GFAP and GDNF expressing cells and to determine the areas where biopsies
were taken.
In Discussion I would recommend to add some references related to sentence
"that innate defects of the enteric glia network lead to a leaky mucosal barrier
which influences the adpative immune system".
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:Distribution of enteric glia and GDNF during gut inflammation
Version: 1Date:19 November 2010
Reviewer: Helena HTH Tlaskalova-Hogenova
Reviewer's report:
Manuscript "Distribution of enteric glia .." deals with important topics. Involvement
of enteric glia and GDNF in intestinal inflammation is very actual and interesting
issue. Authors found increased numbers of enteric glial cells in gut of patients
with ulcerative colitis and infectious colitis. In contrast, reduced expression of
GFAP and GDNF was found in the colon of CD patients. The description of the
Methods and Results is however not sufficient to convince the readers about the
results.
Major Revisions:
I miss more detailed description of the patient´s group (e.g. period of taking the
biopsy - activation or remission, how this is activity was graded etc). The
description (definition) of inflammed and non inflammed colonic biopsies is not
sufficient. I miss also the description from which areas of colon the specimens
were taken (tissue distribution of samples).
I would recommend to describe at least briefly preparation of the samples for
GFAP levels measurement.
From the Results it is not clear if the glial cells were identified in plexus
submucosus or directly in lamina propria. To improve the microscopical finding it
would be important to stain also neurons (to see the relationship with glial cells).
To determine the type of cells expressing GFAP and GDNF is not possible from
presented figures.
Minor Revisions:
I recommend to improve description of Figure 1 to precize the localization of the
GFAP and GDNF expressing cells and to determine the areas where biopsies
were taken.
In Discussion I would recommend to add some references related to sentence
"that innate defects of the enteric glia network lead to a leaky mucosal barrier
which influences the adpative immune system".
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
assistant