title: The Role of Interstitial Cells of Cajal in Acute Cholecystitis in Guinea Pig Gallbladder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Acute cholecystitis is common in gallbladder motility disorder. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in the gallbladder are involved in the regulation of gallbladder motility. The aim of this study was to explore the change of gallbladder ICCs in acute cholecystitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty adult guinea pigs were randomly divided into 3 groups: a sham-operated group (healthy controls) and 2 study groups. The animals in the study group were subjected to bile duct ligation and then to laparotomy and cholecystectomy at 24 and 48 hours after surgery. Immunohistochemistry, immunohistofluorescence, and laser confocal microscopy were performed to observe the shape, size, morphology, and density of gallbladder ICCs. Western blot and real-time PCR were performed to detect stem cell factor and c-kit protein and mRNA expression, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences in the shape, size, and morphology of the gallbladder ICCs in the control and the two acute cholecystitis groups. Density of gallbladder ICCs, SCF level, and c-kit protein and mRNA expression all decreased in the acute cholecystitis groups. Further, SCF level and c-kit protein and mRNA expression decreased with progress of acute cholecystitis (all P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute cholecystitis can decrease ICCs through repression of SCF and c-kit expression and that ICCs loss play a role in acute cholecystitis.
authors.forename: Zhen-Peng
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Meng-Juan
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Bao-Ping
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000601:surgery; D015153:Blotting, Western; D041881:Cholecystitis, Acute / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D056885:Interstitial Cells of Cajal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit