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Modified Liu-Jun-Zi decoction alleviates visceral hypersensitivity in functional dyspepsia by regulating EC
Jingyi Zhao1, Luqing Zhao1, Shengsheng Zhang1
1Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Ethnopharmacological Relevance:
Modified Liu-Jun-Zi (MLJZ) is derived from one of the most famous traditional Chinese prescription Liu-Jun-Zi. It exhibits therapeutic effects in functional dyspepsia (FD), but the underlying mechanisms remain not well understood. Enterochromaffin (EC) cells contribute to the pathogeneses of visceral hypersensitivity in functional gastrointestinal disorders. But whether and how EC cells in duodenum participate in the mechanism of FD remain unsettled.
Aim Of The Study:
To detect the crucial factors related to EC cells, and to evaluate the therapeutic effect of MLJZ and to determine whether MLJZ relieves visceral hypersensitivity in FD by regulating EC cell-5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor (5HT3r) signaling.
Materials And Methods:
FD rats were established by iodoacetamide gavage combined with tail clamping method. The verification of FD model and the evaluation of the therapeutic effect of MLJZ was taken place by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and visceral sensitivity measurement. The expression of EC cells and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) in duodenum was detected by Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IHC staining and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were applied to measure the expression of tryptophan hydroxylase-1 (TPH1), paired box gene 4 (PAX4), transient receptor potential A1 (TRPA1), transient receptor potential C4 (TRPC4) and 5HT3r. Duodenum sections were stained by double immunofluorescence (IF) to study the synthesis of 5HT in EC cells.
Results:
The gastric sensitivity increased in FD rats while MLJZ decoction significantly attenuated visceral hypersensitivity. The duodenum of FD rats displayed increased expressions of EC cells, 5HT, TPH1, PAX4 and 5HT3r. And the overexpression was reduced in response to MLJZ decoction treatment.
Conclusions:
EC cell-5HT3r signaling pathway is abnormally active in FD with visceral hypersensitivity. And MLJZ decoction can alleviates visceral hypersensitivity in FD by regulating EC cell-5HT3r signaling in duodenum.
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