title: Decreased number of interstitial cells of Cajal play an important role in the declined intestinal transit during cholesterol gallstone formation in guinea pigs fed on high cholesterol diet.
abstract: To study the changes of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) and expression of c-kt and scf mRNA in terminal ileum tissue during cholesterol gallstone formation in guinea pigs fed on high cholesterol diet, forty guinea pigs were divided into the gallstone group and the control group. The animals in the gallstone group were fed on a high cholesterol diet (HCD), while those in the control group fed on a standard diet (StD). The guinea pigs were sacrificed at the 8th week. The expression of c-kit and scf in terminal ileum were determined by RT-PCR and the morphological characteristics and number of ICCs were observed and calculated by using immunohistochemistry. RT-PCR showed that, compared with the control group, the c-kit and scf mRNA expression levels in the gallstone group were significantly declined. In the animal assay, the decreased number of ICCs was present obviously in the gallstone group. We concluded from the study that decreased number of ICCs, decreased expression of c-kit and scf in terminal ileum are present in guinea pigs fed on high cholesterol diet. The c-kit/scf pathway inhibition might be involved in the decline of intestinal transit function during cholesterol gallstone formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of The Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of The Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Shuo-Dong
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of The Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Bei-Bei
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of The Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: Department of The Second General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Peng
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Cholesterol gallstone; c-kit; interstitial cells of Cajal; intestinal transit; stem cell factor