Effect of stem cell factor on diabetes-associated depletion of interstitial cells of Cajal in colon / 中华消化杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate whether stem cell factor(SCF)was responsible for the diabetesassociated depletion of interstitial cells of Cajal in colon(ICC)in diabetic mice.Methods Forty male C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into the control group(n=10),the diabetic group(n=10),the normal group with immunoneutralization of endogenous SCF(n=10)and the diabetic group with exogenous SCF (n=10).All mice were sacrificed 6 weeks after modeling.The ICC in the proximal colon tissues were investigated by flow cytometry,transmission electron microscopy and Western blot.The SCF in colon tissues and serum were analyzed by Western blot and ELISA.Results The SCF in the serum and proximal colon muscle was significantly reduced in diabetic group compared with the control group(P＜0.05).The changes were accompanied with the depletion of ICC and the uhrastructure damage of ICC.The expression of SCF was significantly decreased in the serum and proximal colon tissues in the normal group after immunoneutralization of SCF.Meanwhile,the depletion of ICC and the ultrastructure damage of ICC was similar to the diabetic group.The expression of SCF in the serum and proximal colon tissues of the diabetic group with exogenous SCF was significantly increased,and which was along with the quantity of ICC and the ultrastructure improved dramatically compared with the diabetic group.Conclusions The decrease of SCF in the serum and colon of the diabetic mice may be responsible for the diabetes-associated depletion of ICC in colon.Exogenous SCF may improve the ICC lesions in diabetic gastroimestinal tract.