Abstract
The objective was to study the effect of mechanical intestinal obstruction in rats on the phenotype of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). Healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group (C), one day obstruction group (M1), two days obstruction group (M2), and three days obstruction group (M3), with 10 rats in each group. The expression of SCF mRNA and c-Kit protein in intestinal tissue was investigated by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Compared with the sham-operation group, the relative expression of SCF mRNA and the expression of c-Kit protein in intestinal tissue were significantly decreased in both obstruction groups. Levels decreased gradually with the prolongation of obstruction time, and significantly decreased on the 3rd day after obstruction (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining of the small intestine showed that the number of ICC in the sham-operation group was the highest, and they were gradually decreased with the extension of obstruction time in the M1 to M3 groups. There was a significant difference between groups (P<0.05). Intestinal obstruction caused a decrease in the concentrations of SCF mRNA and c-Kit protein in ICC. With the prolongation of intestinal obstruction, the number of ICCs gradually decreased.
Highlights
Intestinal obstruction (IO) is an important cause of intestinal motility disorders
This study investigated the SCF and c-Kit changes of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) at different times in rat models of IO
Tissue SCF mRNA levels Compared with group C, the relative expression levels of SCF mRNA in IO groups were significantly decreased at different time points
Summary
Intestinal obstruction (IO) is an important cause of intestinal motility disorders. Intestinal dilatation mainly occurs in the proximal end of obstruction, increasing mural tension, reducing mucosal perfusion, causing bacterial proliferation, and reducing mural tensile strength that increases intestinal perforation risk [1]. Gastrointestinal (GI) motility is essential for life and is a highly regulated and coordinated process. Bayliss and Starling in 1899 [4] discovered that even after neural activity was blocked, myogenic contractions causing effective peristaltic activity occurred, providing evidence of an internal intestinal pacemaker. Cajal [5,6] proposed interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) as an important player in GI motility via mediating enteric transmission, and later, Keith [7] proposed ICC as pacemakers
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