title: [Effect of acupuncture on gastrointestinal stem cell factor/kit system after colocolic anastomosis in rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of acupuncture on colonic stem cell factor (SCF)-receptor tyrosine kinase (Kit, a transmembrane protein c-kit) system in colocolic anastomosis rats so as to explore its underlying mechanism in regulating intestinal motility after enteroenterostomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty SD rats were randomized into control, model (colocolic anastomosis) and acupuncture groups (n = 10/group). Acupuncture was applied to bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) and "Taichong" (LR 3), once a day for 3 days. The fecal-excretion time and the propulsive rate of the small intestine were measured. The immunoactivity of c-kit immunoreaction positive products in the colon tissue 2 cm below the caecum was detected using immunohistochemistry and the expression of SCF mRNA detected using real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following colocolic anastomosis, the intestinal propulsive rate in the model group was decreased considerably in comparison with the control group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the first fecal-excretion time and the intestinal propulsive rate were improved significantly in the acupuncture group (P < 0.05). In comparison with the control group, the immunoactivity of c-kit and the expression of SCF mRNA in colon tissue were down-regulated obviously in the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while in comparison with the model group, the expression levels of c-kit and SCF mRNA were increased in the acupuncture group significantly (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture can suppress enteroenterostomy-induced down-regulation of the expression of c-kit protein and SCF mRNA in colocolic anastomosis rats, which may contribute to its effect in regulating the intestinal motility after enteroenterostomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangzhou 8th People's Hospital, Guangzhou 510060, China. djjstar33@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jing-Jing
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Xiao-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit