The Effect of Tong-Xie-Yao-Fang on Intestinal Mucosal Mast Cells in Postinfectious Irritable Bowel Syndrome Rats.

Xiangxue Ma,Haijie Ji,Yuanzhi Duan,Xiaolan Yin,Xiaoge Wang,Rui Zheng,Xudong Tang,Yaxin Tian,Ting Chen,Lin Lv,Nan Kang,Fengyun Wang

doi:10.1155/2017/9086034

Abstract

Objective. To investigate the effects of Tong-Xie-Yao-Fang (TXYF) on intestinal mucosal mast cells in rats with postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS). Design. PI-IBS rat models were established using a multistimulation paradigm. Then, rats were treated with TXYF intragastrically at doses of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 g·kg−1·d−1 for 14 days, respectively. Intestinal sensitivity was assessed based on abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scores and fecal water content (FWC). Mast cell counts and the immunofluorescence of tryptase and c-Fos in intestinal mucosa were measured; and serum IL-1β, TNF-α, and histamine levels were determined. Results. AWR reactivity and FWC which were significantly increased could be observed in PI-IBS rats. Remarkably increased mast cell activation ratio in intestinal mucosa, together with increased serum TNF-α and histamine levels, could also be seen in PI-IBS rats; furthermore, PI-IBS-induced changes in mast cell activation and level of serum TNF-α and histamine could be reversed by TXYF treatment. Meanwhile, tryptase and c-Fos expression were also downregulated. Conclusion. TXYF improves PI-IBS symptoms by alleviating behavioral hyperalgesia and antidiarrhea, the underlying mechanism of which involves the inhibitory effects of TXYF on activating mucosal mast cells, downregulating tryptase and c-Fos expression, and reducing serum TNF-α and histamine levels.

Highlights

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that manifests as abdominal discomfort and altered bowel habits, but IBS-related abnormalities are not obvious during routine diagnostic tests [1]
IBS-related symptoms in some patients may be secondary to acute gastroenteritis, and such phenomenon is known as postinfectious IBS (PIIBS), which exhibits characteristics that are similar to those of diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D), accounting for 4% to 31% of IBS patients [2,3,4,5]
The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of TXYF on mast cell activation in postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) rat models

Summary

Introduction

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that manifests as abdominal discomfort and altered bowel habits, but IBS-related abnormalities are not obvious during routine diagnostic tests [1]. Mast cells are immune cells that are widely distributed in the gastrointestinal tract, the cytoplasm of which is rich in endocrine granules that will synthesize and release various bioactive media and factors in response to stimuli, including histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), tryptase, prostaglandins, and cytokines. The extensive actions of these active media will increase responses of the enteric nervous system and irritate the sensory afferent nerve pathways inducing visceral hyperalgesia and intestinal kinetic imbalance. As is reported previously [7, 8], the number of intestinal mucosal mast cells and tryptase levels in IBS patients are higher than those in healthy subjects, among which, the proliferation and activation of colonic mast cells are positively correlated with the degrees of abdominal pain and abdominal

Methods

Results

Conclusion