Assessment of Gastrointestinal Propulsive Activity Using Three Different Models of Peristalsis In Vivo in the Mouse

Abstract

The protocols described in this unit are designed to assess the acute effects of drugs on the propulsive activity of the gastrointestinal muscles in the conscious mouse. These protocols are currently applied to investigate the pharmacological activity of novel compounds undergoing preclinical development and to obtain predictive data needed to advance drugs into clinical trials. Moreover, these methods could be useful in evaluating the functional toxicity by environmental or alimentary pollutants, like xenobiotics and naturally occurring toxins endowed with noxious activity in the control of physiologic peristalsis. The three models detailed-the measurement of gastric emptying, ileal transit, and colonic propulsion-are substantially non-invasive and do not require analgesic pretreatments or the induction of general anesthesia. In contrast to an in vitro approach, these in vivo studies provide a unified understanding of drug effects on gut functionality, in particular when the central nervous system, the extrinsic nerves, or the (neuro)endocrine system is targeted by the test drugs.

A simple automated approach to measure mouse whole gut transit

“…In vivo studies measure the regional transit times, like gastric emptying and intestinal or whole gut transit 3,5 . Studies also employed advanced imaging techniques to measure GI transit, including scintigraphy, ultrasound, CT, MRI, and radiography 6‐8 . Still, an inexpensive and readily available dye transit measurement of "leading edge" whole gut transit remains the gold‐standard 3 .…”

Glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide secretion after oral macronutrient ingestion: The human literature revisited and a systematic study in model experiments in mice

“…Another potential limitation was that residual food content in the gut at the time of the experiments would have affected GIP secretion. However, it has been shown that gastrointestinal transit time in mice is such that 80% has passed through after 60 min 39 , which suggests that this effect is probably minor in the present experiments in which the mice were fasted for 2 h.…”