1 Department of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 8th People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
2 Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Acupunct Med. 2019 Apr;37(2):125-132. doi: 10.1177/0964528419829755. Epub 2019 Mar 11.
Recovery of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) during post-operative ileus (POI) is important for the restoration of gastrointestinal (GI) motility. Acupuncture can protect ICCs, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated whether miR-222, c-kit and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) are involved in the putative effects of acupuncture on ICC recovery.
A POI model was established in Sprague-Dawley rats by colo-colic anastomosis, and then acupuncture was performed at bilateral ST36, SP6 and LR3 once daily for 3 consecutive days. C-kit protein expression in the colonic tissue adjacent to the incision site was determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. mRNA levels of c-kit, eNOS and miR-222 were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
The levels of c-kit mRNA/protein and eNOS mRNA decreased, while miR-222 increased in the colonic tissues of POI model rats. Acupuncture treatment improved GI motility, inhibited the up-regulation of miR-222 and blocked the down-regulation of c-kit mRNA/protein and eNOS mRNA. The levels of miR-222 and c-kit were negatively correlated.
Acupuncture at ST36, SP6 and LR3 facilitates ICC recovery and improves post-operative GI motility in part through regulation of miR-222, c-kit and eNOS.
术后肠梗阻（POI）期间 IC 细胞（ICC）的恢复对于胃肠道（GI）运动的恢复很重要。针刺可以保护 ICC，但潜在的机制尚不清楚。在这项研究中，我们研究了 miR-222、c-kit 和内皮型一氧化氮合酶（eNOS）是否参与了针刺对 ICC 恢复的可能作用。
通过结肠结肠吻合术在 Sprague-Dawley 大鼠中建立 POI 模型，然后每天在双侧 ST36、SP6 和 LR3 进行针刺治疗，连续 3 天。通过免疫组织化学和 Western blot 测定切口部位附近结肠组织中 c-kit 蛋白的表达。通过实时聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）测量 c-kit、eNOS 和 miR-222 的 mRNA 水平。
POI 模型大鼠结肠组织中 c-kit mRNA/蛋白和 eNOS mRNA 水平降低，而 miR-222 水平升高。针刺治疗改善了 GI 运动，抑制了 miR-222 的上调，并阻断了 c-kit mRNA/蛋白和 eNOS mRNA 的下调。miR-222 和 c-kit 的水平呈负相关。
ST36、SP6 和 LR3 的针刺治疗促进 ICC 恢复，并通过调节 miR-222、c-kit 和 eNOS 部分改善术后 GI 运动。
