Role of vasoactive intestinal peptide and nitric oxide in the modulation of electroacupucture on gastric motility in stressed rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects and mechanisms of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and nitric oxide (NO) in the modulation of electroacupucture (EA) on gastric motility in restrained-cold stressed rats.


METHODS
An animal model of gastric motility disorder was established by restrained-cold stress. Gastric myoelectric activities were recorded by electrogastroenterography (EGG). VIP and NO concentrations in plasma and gastric mucosal and bulb tissues were detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA). VIP expression in the gastric walls was assayed using avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) and image analysis.


RESULTS
In cold restrained stressed rats, EGG was disordered and irregular. The frequency and amplitude of gastric motility were higher than that in control group (P < 0.01). VIP and NO contents of plasma, gastric mucosal and bulb tissues were obviously decreased (P < 0.01). Following EA at "Zusanli" (ST36), the frequency and amplitude of gastric motility were obviously lowered (P < 0.01), while the levels of VIP and NO in plasma, gastric mucosal and bulb tissues increased strikingly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and expression of VIP in antral smooth muscle was elevated significantly (P < 0.01) in comparison with those of model group.


CONCLUSIONS
VIP and NO participate in the modulatory effect of EA on gastric motility. EA at "Zusanli" acupoint (ST36) can improve gastric motility of the stressed rats by increasing the levels of VIP and NO.
Shen
Guo-Ming
GM
Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui TCM College, Hefei 230038, Anhui Province, China. shengm_66@163.com
Zhou
Mei-Qi
MQ
Xu
Guan-Sun
GS
Xu
Ying
Y
Yin
Gang
G
D000818:Animals; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000502:physiology*
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide