Caecal dysfunction and neuro-immune alterations in a preclinical model of autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD; autism) is commonly presented with gastrointestinal (GI) illness in addition to core diagnostic behavioural traits. Important for GI homeostasis is the appendix, or the caecum in mice, which functions as a key site for fermentation and a microbial reservoir. Even so, the role of the appendix and caecum in autism-associated GI symptoms remains uninvestigated. Here, we studied mice with an autism-associated missense mutation in the post-synaptic protein neuroligin-3 (NL3^R451C), which impacts brain and enteric neuronal activity.

We previously reported abnormal caecal enteric nervous system (ENS) architecture and immune cell dysmorphologies in caecal patch tissues of NL3^R451C mice. Building on our findings, we assessed caecal motility using tri-cannulation video-imaging approach in ex vivo preparations. Using the Ussing chamber set-up, we investigated caecal permeability and neurally-evoked secretion. Key immune populations including gut macrophages and dendritic cells were visualised to examine shifts in immune activity. Here, we provide the raw data involved in this study.