Effect of moxibustion on immune function homeostasis in rats with diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome based on SCF/c-kit signaling pathway / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effects of moxibustion on the stem cell factor (SCF)/tyrosine kinase receptor (c-kit) signaling pathway and immune function in rats with diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), and to explore the mechanism of moxibustion for IBS-D.@*METHODS@#Among 52 young rats born from 6 healthy pregnant SPF rats, 12 rats were randomly selected into the normal group, and the remaining 40 rats were treated with the three-factor combination method of maternal separation, acetic acid enema and chronic restraint stress to establish the IBS-D rat model. Thirty-six rats with successful IBS-D model were randomly divided into a model group, a moxibustion group, and a medication group, 12 rats in each group. The rats in the moxibustion group were treated with suspension moxibustion at "Tianshu" (ST 25) and "Shangjuxu" (ST 37); the rats in the medication group were treated with intragastric administration of rifaximin suspension (150 mg/kg). All the treatments were given once a day for 7 consecutive days. The body mass, loose stool rate (LSR), the minimum volume threshold when abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scored 3 were measured before acetic acid enema (35 days old), after modeling (45 days old), and after intervention (53 days old). After intervention (53 days old), HE staining was used to observe the morphology of colon tissue, and spleen and thymus coefficients were measured; ELISA method was used to detect serum inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor a [TNF-a], interleukin [IL]-10, IL-8), T-lymphocyte subsets (CD+4, CD+8, CD+45), value of CD+4/CD+8 and immune globulin (IgA, IgG, IgM); real-time PCR method and Western blot method was used to detect the expression of SCF, c-kit mRNA and protein in colon tissue; immunofluorescence staining method were used to detect positive expression of SCF and c-kit.@*RESULTS@#After intervention, compared with the normal group, in the model group, the body mass and the minimum volume threshold when AWR scored 3 were decreased (P<0.01), LSR, spleen and thymus coefficients, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-8, CD+4, CD+45, CD+4/CD+8, IgA, IgG, IgM were increased (P<0.01), serum IL-10 level and protein and mRNA expression of SCF and c-kit in colon tissue were decreased (P<0.01), and the positive expression of SCF and c-kit was decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, in the moxibustion group and the medication group, the body mass and the minimum volume threshold when AWR scored 3 were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05), LSR, spleen and thymus coefficients, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-8, CD+4, CD+8, CD+45, CD+4/CD+8, IgA, IgG, IgM were decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), serum IL-10 level and protein and mRNA expression of SCF and c-kit in colon tissue were increased (P<0.01), and the positive expression of SCF and c-kit was increased (P<0.01). Compared with the medication group, in the moxibustion group, the level of serum CD+4 was decreased (P<0.05), the value of CD+4/CD+8 was increased (P<0.01), and there was no significant difference in other indexes (P>0.05). The expression of SCF and c-kit mRNA was positively correlated with the minimum volume threshold when AWR scored 3 and IL-10 (P<0.01), and negatively correlated with remaining indexes (P<0.01, P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Moxibustion could reduce visceral hypersensitivity, improve symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea in IBS-D rats, and its mechanism may be related to up-regulation of the expression of SCF/c-kit signaling pathway and improvement of IBS-D immune function.

Role of Jiawei Shenqi-wan in Treatment of Cathartic Colon on the Basis of Interstitial Cells of Cajal / 胃肠病学

Background: Cathartic colon belongs to the category of 'constipation' in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and its pathogenesis is related to deficiency of kidney temperament and weak promotion ability, which has become a hot spot of global medical attention. Aims: To investigate the effect and possible mechanism of Jiawei Shenqi-wan (JSQW) on intestinal transmission function and pathological changes of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in rats with cathartic colon. Methods: Forty rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, prucalopride group and JSQW group. Fecal moisture content, fecal particle number and intestinal transit rate were detected. The pathological changes of ICCs were observed under transmission electron microscope. RT-qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expressions of water channel proteins (AQP3 and AQP9) and SCF/c-kit pathway. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the expressions of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)

Expression and significance of c-kit messenger ribonucleic acid and c-kit protein in diabetic cystopathy in guinea pig / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM: To determine the expression of c-kit mRNA and protein in the bladders in guinea pigs with diabetic cystopathy (DCP) and to explore the correlation and mechanisms between c-kit expression and DCP. METHODS: Sixty guinea pigs were divided randomly into control group (n=20) and experimental group (n=40). The guinea pigs in experimental group were injected with streptozotocin (STZ) to induce diabetes mellitus. After fed for 10 weeks, the animals in both groups were tested with urodynamics, and the guinea pigs in experimental group were divided into the subgroups of DCP and the diabetic no-cystopathy (NDCP) group according to the results of urodynamics. mRNA expression of c-kit was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and protein expression of c-kit was tested and analyzed by laser scanning confocal microscope. RESULTS: Decreased expression of c-kit mRNA was observed in DCP group compared to control and the NDCP group. The ratio of c-kit mRNA and GAPDH was 5.66±0.54 in controls (P<0.05), 5.54±1.28 in NDCP group (P<0.05) and 4.65 ±0.47 in DCP group. c-kit protein expression significantly declined in DCP group. The mean value of fluorescence intensity was 856.52± 53.03 in control group, 844.67± 59.24 in NDCP group and 548.69± 48.51 in DCP (P<0.01).CONCLUSION: The declined expression of c-kit) gene at transcription and translation levels destroys the SCF/c-kit signal pathway, leading to the dysfunction of Cajal-like) cells in DCP guinea pig, so the abnormal expression of c-kit gene is involved in the pathogenesis of DCP.