Dietary Genistein Influences Number of Acetylcholine Receptors in Female Diabetic Jejunum.

BACKGROUND

Intestinal dysfunction in the mouse model of diabetes mimics that seen clinically.

METHODS

We determined the effects of a 4-week genistein diet (600 mg genistein/kg food) on intestinal function (contractility, morphology, AChR, and motility) in female and lean mice.

RESULTS

Contractility of the jejunum in response to incrementally increasing concentrations of KCl was comparable in females and lean controls regardless of a genistein-diet. There were no changes in the wall thickness measured. We assessed the number of clusters of AChR in the jejunum wall; AChR were decreased by 48% in mice versus leans, and the genistein diet reversed this. In utilizing a video-imaging system to evaluate gastrointestinal motility, we determined that the distance between consecutive contractile events was significantly increased by 1.87-fold in mice versus leans, and the genistein diet was without effect.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that slowed intestinal transit in the diabetic mouse may be due in part to decreased AChR and decreased contraction events occurring per unit time. A genistein diet rescues the number of AChR to levels of leans yet did not change the number of contractile events. Feeding mice a genistein-rich diet has potential therapeutic benefits towards improving the debilitating diabetes-related gastrointestinal dysfunction.