Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine ›› 2024, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (5): 981-990.DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2024.05.005

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Regulatory role of electroacupuncture on satellite glial cell activity in the colon and dorsal root ganglion of rats with irritable bowel syndrome

ZHANG Fang1,2, YAN Cuina3, WENG Zhijun1,2, WU Luyi3,4, QI Li3, ZHAO Min3, XIN Yuhu5, WU Huangan1,2, LIU Huirong1,2()   

  1. 1 Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
    2 Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai 200030, China
    3 Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Immunological Effects, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
    4 Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
    5 Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
  • Received:2023-06-11 Accepted:2023-11-27 Online:2024-10-15 Published:2024-09-11
  • Contact: Prof. LIU Huirong, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai 200030, China; lhr_tcm@139.com Telephone: +86-21-64644238
  • Supported by:
    Research on the Initiation Mechanism of Moxibustion Effect and Its Endogenous Regulation Mechanism (973 program, No. 2015CB554501);Interaction Mechanism of the Information between Electroacupuncture Stimulation to Zusanli and Visceral Pain in Dorsal Root Ganglion of Rats with Irritable Bowel Syndrome(81873367);Study on the Mechanism of Periaqueductal gray Purinergic Ion Channel Receptor 3 Mediated in Electro-acupuncture Relieving Visceral Hypersensitivity in Mice with Irritable Bowel Syndrome(81904301);based on Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 Mediated Calcium/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase Ⅱ Signaling Pathway Involved in Electroacupuncture to Relieve Irritable Bowel Syndrome Mice Visceral Pain Mechanism Study(22ZR1458600);Shanghai Clinical Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion(20MC1920500)

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of satellite glial cells in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at the Tianshu (ST25) and Shangjuxu (ST37) combination.

METHODS: A model for visceral hypersensitivity in IBS was induced through colorectal distension (CRD) stimulation. Clean-grade male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: a normal group (NG), a model group (MG), an electroacupuncture group (EA), and a glial cell inhibitor group (FCA). Bilateral EA (2/100 Hz, 1 mA, 30 min) was administered at the Tianshu (ST25) and Shangjuxu (ST37) in week 6. Abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scores were used to assess the behavioral response associated with visceral hyperalgesia, while hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to evaluate pathological changes in the colon. The protein and mRNA levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the colon and colon-related dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were analyzed using immun-ofluorescence, immun-ohistochemistry, Western blotting, real-time polymerase chain reaction. The impact of EA on electrophysiological properties of colon-related DRG neurons was observed through whole-cell patch clamp analysis.

RESULTS: EA significantly reduced the visceral pain behavior scores in rats with IBS in response to graded (20, 40, 60, 80 mm Hg) CRD stimulation. Additionally, EA downregulated the protein and mRNA expression levels of GFAP in the colon and colon-related DRG of rats with IBS. EA also regulated the resting membrane potential, rheobase and action potential of colon-related DRG neurons in rats with IBS.

CONCLUSIONS: EA can regulate the excitatory properties of colon-related DRG neurons by downregulating the protein and mRNA expression of GFAP in the colon and colon-related DRG, indicating a potential neurobiological mechanism by which EA relieves visceral hypersensitivity in rats with IBS.

Key words: electroacupuncture, satellite glial cell, irritable bowel syndrome, visceral hypersensitivity, glial fibrillary acidic proteinSupporting information

Cite this article

ZHANG Fang, YAN Cuina, WENG Zhijun, WU Luyi, QI Li, ZHAO Min, XIN Yuhu, WU Huangan, LIU Huirong. Regulatory role of electroacupuncture on satellite glial cell activity in the colon and dorsal root ganglion of rats with irritable bowel syndrome[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2024, 44(5): 981-990.