Abstract
BackgroundTo examine whether electro-acupuncture (EA) could decrease 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and increase neuro-peptide Y (NPY) in the brain-gut axis (BGA) in D-IBS using rat models.MethodsRats were randomly exposed to unpredictable chronic stress for 3 weeks followed by 1-hour acute restraint stress (CAS) after 7 days of rest, or daily gavage of Senna decoction (6 g/kg) plus chronic restraint stress (for a duration of 2 h, starting from 1 h prior to the gavage) for 2 weeks (ISC). The content of 5-HT, CGRP and NPY in the distal colon, spinal cord, hypothalamus was examined at the end of the treatment.Results1. The two rat models exhibited similar characteristics, e.g., increased number of fecal pellets expelled in 1 h, decreased sacchar-intake, decreased CRD, elevated 5-HT, CGRP content and decreased NPY in the distal colon, spinal cord, hypothalamus (P < 0.05 vs. that in healthy control rats). 2. A series of equations was developed based on correlation regression analysis. The analysis results demonstrated that 5-HT mediates the changes in hypothalamus, spinal cord and colon. 5-HT and CGRP in spinal cord was closely correlated with general behavior evaluation and other transmitters in BGA.Conclusion1. In comparison to 5-HT, CGRP and NPY (particularly in the spinal cord) had closer relationship with the D-IBS symptoms induced by either stress factors or Senna decotion.2. EA treatment could restore the brain-gut axis to balanced levels.
Highlights
To examine whether electro-acupuncture (EA) could decrease 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and increase neuro-peptide Y (NPY) in the brain-gut axis (BGA) in Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS) using rat models
With component matrix = ±0.5 as weight, CGRP of spinal cord, colorectal distention (CRD) measurement, fecal pellets, sacchar-intake amount, CGRP of hypothalamus, CGRP of distal colon, 5-HT of spinal cord, NPY of hypothalamus were significant in the f1 factors
F1 had the highest factor loading in CRD measurement, body weight and CGRP content of spinal cord
Summary
Ethics statement All procedures had the approval of the Animal Ethics Committee of the Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine. Colonic motility was examined by counting the number of fecal pellets for a period of 1 h. Pearson’s correlation test was used to analyze the potential correlation between 5-HT, CGRP and NPY content in the hypothalamus, spinal cord and distal colon and behavioral measures, such as colonic motility, psychological ethology and colonic sensation. The CAS and ISC rats had higher 5-HT, CGRP content and lower NPY content in the colon, the spinal cord, the hypothalamus (P < 0.05 vs healthy control). EA decreased 5-HT and CGRP content in the distal colon, spinal cord, hypothalamus in both CAS and ISC rats (P < 0.05, vs CAS group and ISC without EA). EA treatment reduced 5-HT, CGRP content and increased NPY content in both CAS and ISC rats (Fig. 1g, h, i)
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