Abstract
Objective To determine whether electroacupuncture (EA) could alleviate visceral hypersensitivity in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) rats by inhibiting EGCs activity via the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway. Methods Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided to a control group (n = 8) and a model preparation group (n = 32), which received Senna solution by gavage and CUMS (chronic unpredictable mild stress) for 14 consecutive days and was further divided to a Model group, an EA group (only electroacupuncture), an EA + TrkB agonist group (electroacupuncture and TrkB), and an EA + DMSO group (electroacupuncture and DMSO, n = 8 for each). Rats in the three EA groups were acupunctured at ST25, ST36, and LR3 for 20 min every day for 14 days. Abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) was used to quantify visceral sensitivity; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and double immunofluorescent staining were used to detect the colocalized expression of GFAP/BDNF and GFAP/TrkB. Western Blot (WB) was used to detect the expression of PLC and SP in the colon. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of Ca2+. Results EA effectively alleviated visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D rats (P < 0.05). Compared to the control group, the expression of BDNF, TrkB, PLC, SP, and Ca2+ and the colocalized expression of GFAP/BDNF and GFAP/TrkB increased in the Model group (P < 0.05), while all these parameters decreased in the EA group following EA intervention (P < 0.05). In addition, no significant difference was found between the EA + TrkB agonist group and the control group (P > 0.05). Conclusions EA alleviates visceral hypersensitivity of IBS-D rats possibly by inhibiting the activity of EGCs through the BDNF/TrkB-PLC-Ca2+ signaling pathway in the colon.
Highlights
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder with persistent or recurrent episodes of intestinal disorder [1]
As the colorectal dilatation (CRD) increased to 40, 60, and 80 mmHg, Abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scores of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) rats were significantly increased compared to the control group (P < 0.05)
The AWR score of IBS-D rats showed a significant decrease after EA treatment (P < 0.05), while there was no significant change in the EA + tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) agonist group (P > 0.05)
Summary
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder with persistent or recurrent episodes of intestinal disorder [1]. It is characterized by abdominal pain, abdominal distension, altered bowel habits, and/or character of stool that severely affect the quality of patients’ life [2]. A wide spectrum of clinical manifestations and a lack of a specific diagnostic basis [2] make it difficult to treat. Acupuncture therapy has received increasing attention, as numerous clinical studies have shown that it is safe and effective for the treatment of IBS. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine electroacupuncture (EA) had been shown to alleviate abdominal pain in IBS-D patients [5]. The mode of action of EA for ISD-D treatment remains unclear
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