Physiological caffeine concentrations do not affect enteric neural crest cell migration in a mouse model

Physiological caffeine exposure does not perturb enteric neural crest cell migration in the ex-vivo embryonic mouse intestine, despite ENCCs expressing caffeine-sensitive ADORA2A receptors.

• Why it matters: Hirschsprung disease is linked to impaired ENCC migration, and maternal coffee intake has been associated with higher risk, but caffeine’s direct effect on ENCC movement was unknown.
• What they did: ENCCs were assessed for caffeine-sensitive ADORA2A receptor expression and endogenous calcium activity, then tested with physiological caffeine doses in 2D outgrowth assays, 3D collagen gels, and ex-vivo embryonic gut preparations.
• The result: Caffeine modulated ENCC outgrowth in 2D culture, but did not affect migration in 3D collagen gels or in the ex-vivo embryonic gut, arguing against a direct caffeine mechanism for HD.

AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.