Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling

WANG Lu; CHEN Ying; XU Ming-min; CAO Wei; ZHENG Qian-hua; ZHOU Si-yuan; YAO Jun-peng; XI Meng-han; QIN Hai-yan; LI Ying; ZHANG Wei

doi:10.1007/s11655-023-3594-3

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Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling

Acupuncture Research | Updated：2023-04-27

- Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling
- Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling
- 中国结合医学杂志（英文版） 2023年29卷第5期页码：459-469
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu (610075), China
  2.School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou (510632), China
- Author bio：
  
  Dr. ZHANG Wei, E-mail: zhangwei@cdutcm.edu.cn
- Funds：
  
  the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82074554);the Foundation of the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province, China(2021YJ0197);Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Xinglin Scholars Program(YXRC2018007)
- DOI：10.1007/s11655-023-3594-3
  中图分类号：
- 纸质出版日期：2023-05，
  
  网络出版日期：2023-03-28，
  
  录用日期：2022-11-11
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Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling[J]. 中国结合医学杂志（英文版）, 2023,29(5):459-469.

WANG Lu, CHEN Ying, XU Ming-min, et al. Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling[J]. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 2023,29(5):459-469.
Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling[J]. 中国结合医学杂志（英文版）, 2023,29(5):459-469. DOI： 10.1007/s11655-023-3594-3.

WANG Lu, CHEN Ying, XU Ming-min, et al. Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling[J]. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 2023,29(5):459-469. DOI： 10.1007/s11655-023-3594-3.

摘要

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate autophagy-related mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) action in improving gastrointestinal motility in mice with functional constipation (FC).

Methods:

According to a random number table

the Kunming mice were divided into the normal control

FC and EA groups in Experiment Ⅰ. The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) was used to observe whether it antagonized the effects of EA in Experiment Ⅱ. An FC model was established by diphenoxylate gavage. Then the mice were treated with EA stimulation at Tianshu (ST 25) and Shangjuxu (ST 37) acupoints. The first black stool defecation time

the number

weight

and water content of 8-h feces

and intestinal transit rate were used to assess intestinal transit. Colonic tissues underwent histopathological assessment

and the expressions of autophagy markers microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin-1 were detected by immunohistochemical staining. The expressions of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway members were investigated by Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction

respectively. The relationship between enteric glial cells (EGCs) and autophagy was observed by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy

localization analysis

and electron microscopy.

Results:

EA treatment shortened the first black stool defecation time

increased the number

weight

and water content of 8-h feces

and improved the intestinal transit rate in FC mice (

0.01). In terms of a putative autophagy mechanism

EA treatment promoted the expressions of LC3 and Beclin-1 proteins in the colonic tissue of FC mice (

0.05)

with glialfibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and LC3 significantly colocalized. Furthermore

EA promoted colonic autophagy in FC mice by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling (

0.05 or

0.01). The positive effect of EA on intestinal motility in FC mice was blocked by 3-MA.

Conclusion:

EA treatment can inhibit PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in the colonic tissues of FC mice

thereby promoting EGCs autophagy to improve intestinal motility.

关键词

Keywords

electroacupuncturegastrointestinal motilityautophagyenteric glial cellsChinese medicine

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