Abstract
Background Electroacupuncture (EA) could improve colonic transit activity in rats with neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) caused by spinal cord injury (SCI). The function of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) and c-Kit expression may play essential roles in this process. Material and Methods. Thirty-six Sprague Dawley rats were randomized to the sham group, the SCI group, or the SCI + EA group (bilateral Zusanli, 30 min/day, 14 days). Changes in the ultrastructural morphology of ICCs were observed. The c-Kit expression on different levels was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and RT-qPCR, respectively. Results Abnormal morphology of ICCs and downregulation of the c-Kit expression occurred after SCI. While the number of ICCs was increased, the ultrastructural morphology was improved significantly in EA rats. They also showed better improvement in c-Kit expression at both protein and gene levels. Conclusion Abnormal ICCs in colon tissues and the downregulated expression of c-Kit could be observed after SCI. EA at Zusanli (ST36) could improve the colon function by repairing the morphology and increasing the number of ICCs and upregulating c-Kit expression.
Highlights
Neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) is a term that refers to colonic dysfunction caused by the central nervous system (CNS) disease or injury [1]
As observed under the transmission electron microscope, the cell body of colonic ICCs was typically fusiform-shaped with an elongated nucleus in the sham group (Figure 1(a), left panel). e condensed chromatin was scattered throughout the nucleus, surrounded by the extended cytoplasm. e cytoplasm contained abundant mitochondria, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus (Figure 1(a), right panel)
3.4. c-Kit mRNA and Protein Expression Level Increased by EA. e results of the colonic c-Kit mRNA and protein expression confirmed what we found in the immunohistochemistry. e expression level of c-Kit protein (Figures 3(a) and 3(b)) and mRNA (Figure 3(c)) in colon tissues varied among groups. e mRNA expression and protein levels of c-Kit in the spinal cord injury (SCI) rats were significantly lower than the sham rats
Summary
Neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) is a term that refers to colonic dysfunction caused by the central nervous system (CNS) disease or injury [1]. It occurs in almost all patients with a chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) [2]. A clinical trial has proven that EA is effective at managing NBD by decreasing the burden of bowel care and episodes of fecal incontinence in SCI patients [16]. Electroacupuncture (EA) could improve colonic transit activity in rats with neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) caused by spinal cord injury (SCI). EA at Zusanli (ST36) could improve the colon function by repairing the morphology and increasing the number of ICCs and upregulating c-Kit expression
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