Multiple sclerosis (MS) has been considered to specifically affect the central nervous system
(CNS) for a long time. As autonomic dysfunction including dysphagia can occur as accompanying
phenomena in patients, the enteric nervous system has been attracting increasing attention over
the past years. The aim of this study was to identify glial and myelin markers as potential target
structures for autoimmune processes in the esophagus. RT-PCR analysis revealed glial fibrillary
acidic protein (GFAP), proteolipid protein (PLP), and myelin basic protein (MBP) expression, but
an absence of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) in the murine esophagus. Selected
immunohistochemistry for GFAP, PLP, and MBP including transgenic mice with cell-type specific
expression of PLP and GFAP supported these results by detection of (1) GFAP, PLP, and MBP in
Schwann cells in skeletal muscle and esophagus; (2) GFAP, PLP, but no MBP in perisynaptic Schwann
cells of skeletal and esophageal motor endplates; (3) GFAP and PLP, but no MBP in glial cells
surrounding esophageal myenteric neurons; and (4) PLP, but no GFAP and MBP in enteric glial cells
forming a network in the esophagus. Our results pave the way for further investigations regarding
the involvement of esophageal glial cells in the pathogenesis of dysphagia in MS