title: The Effects of Auricular Electro-Acupuncture on Ameliorating the Dysfunction of Interstitial Cells of Cajal Networks and nNOSmRNA Expression in Antrum of STZ-Induced Diabetic Rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) and nNOS play a crucial role in diabetic gastrointestinal dysmotility(DGD). Our previous study found that electro-acupuncture(EA) on ear point 'stomach' could repair the gastric dysrhythmias in rats induced by rectal distention(RD) after meal. However, little were known about the possible effect of auricular electro-acupuncture (AEA) on diabetic rats. Thus, we designed this study to investigate the effect of AEA on streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty male Sprague_Dawley (SD) rats were injected with STZ, at the end of 8th week after injection, animals were randomly divided into four groups and received 2 weeks-treatment(10 times) respectively: control group(CON,n = 10, no stimulation), sham auricular electro-acupuncture group(SEA,n = 10, low frequency EA on earlobes), auricular eletro-acupuncture group(AEA,n = 10, low frequency EA on ear point 'stomach'), and ST-36 group(ST-36,n = 10, low frequency EA on ST-36). Gastrointestinal (GI) motility was measured by GI transit rate. ICCs(c-kit+ expression) in antrum were analyzed by Immunohistochemistry and western blotting. NO level in blood serum were detected by Griess Reagent, and nNOSmRNA expression in antrum were determined by Real-time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GI transit rate and ICCs(c-kit+ expression) in antrum of AEA group have the tendency to increase compared with CON group, but had no statistics difference (P>0.05). nNOSmRNA expression in antrum of AEA group was dramatically increased compared with CON group (P = 0.037).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low frequency EA on ear 'stomach' point could significantly up-regulate nNOS mRNA expression and ameliorate the ICCs networks partly in gastric antrum of STZ -induced diabetic rats, which may has benefits on regulating the GI motility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Weijian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Jinqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Luning
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoke
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Zhaohui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yongqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D020831:Acupuncture, Ear; D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D056885:Interstitial Cells of Cajal / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I