Effects of Electroacupuncture on Interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICC) Ultrastructure and Connexin 43 Protein Expression in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Functional Dyspepsia (FD) Rats

Abstract

BackgroundGastrointestinal motility disorder is the main clinical manifestation in functional dyspepsia (FD) patients. Electroacupuncture is effective in improving gastrointestinal motility disorder in FD; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. It has been demonstrated that interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are pacemaker cells in the gastrointestinal tract, and the pacemaker potential is transmitted to nearby cells through gap junctions between ICC or ICC and the smooth muscle. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of electroacupuncture on ICC ultrastructure and expression of the gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43) in FD rats.Material/MethodsThe animals were randomized into 3 groups: control, model, and electroacupuncture. Electroacupuncture was applied at Zusanli (ST36) in the electroacupuncture group daily for 10 days, while no electroacupuncture was applied to model group animals.ResultsUltrastructure of ICC recovered normally in gastric antrum and small intestine specimens was improved, with Cx43 expression levels in these tissues significantly increased in the electroacupuncture group compared with the model group.ConclusionsThese findings indicated that electroacupuncture is effective in alleviating ICC damage and reduces Cx43 levels in FD rats, and suggest that ICC and Cx43 are involved in electroacupuncture treatment in rats with FD to improve gastrointestinal motility disorders.

Investigation of autophagy and differentiation of myenteric interstitial cells of Cajal in the pathogenesis of gastric motility disorders in rats with functional dyspepsia

“…In this study, to obtain more stable FD model, the tails of rats were pinched twice a day for 4 weeks. Our results showed that the rats in model group showed a significant decrease in food intake, abnormal excreta, slower weight gain, delayed gastric emptying, and no remarkable pathological changes in the gastric antrum tissue, which was consistent with the previous study . The results suggest that FD model was successfully induced by chronic stress via tail clamping.…”

“…Furthermore, the course of FD is always chronic with recurrent features. At the previous studies, FD model in rats was generally induced by acute physical stress—that is, the tails of rats were pinched four times once a day for 1 week . In this study, to obtain more stable FD model, the tails of rats were pinched twice a day for 4 weeks.…”

An Innovative Model of ISS‐Based Multiple Fractures and Gastrointestinal Dysfunction Related to c‐Kit Protein Expression on Interstitial Cells of Cajal

“…For example, electroacupuncture was recently shown to effectively alleviate ICC damage and reduce recombinant connexin 43 levels, thus improving gastrointestinal motility disorders. 17 Gastrointestinal ICCs express the surface receptor c‐kit, which is widely used to specifically detect ICCs, thereby serving as an indicator of the degree of gastrointestinal motility. 18 , 19 Thus, in this study we investigated the potential relationship between the severity of trauma and expression of c‐kit protein in ICCs.…”

“…Due to their fundamental role in the gastrointestinal tract, ICCs may be an important target for gastrointestinal motility therapies. For example, electroacupuncture was recently shown to effectively alleviate ICC damage and reduce recombinant connexin 43 levels, thus improving gastrointestinal motility disorders 17 . Gastrointestinal ICCs express the surface receptor c‐kit, which is widely used to specifically detect ICCs, thereby serving as an indicator of the degree of gastrointestinal motility 18,19 .…”

Investigation of the improving effect of raw and charred hawthorn on functional dyspepsia based on interstitial cells of Cajal

“…ICC is the pacemaker of gastrointestinal motility, which stimulates the rhythmic peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract by spontaneously generated electrical slow waves. Therefore, structural and functional abnormalities of ICC are closely related to gastrointestinal motility disorders and the cause of many gastrointestinal diseases (Sanders et al, 2014;Zhang et al, 2016). FD is a representative disease of gastrointestinal motility disorder.…”