Electroacupuncture Ameliorates Gastrointestinal Motility in Rats with Functional Dyspepsia Via PLC/IP3 Signaling

Abstract

Gastrointestinal motility disorders are one of the main pathogenic factors responsible for functional dyspepsia (FD). Platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α-positive (PDGFRα+) cells participate in regulating gastrointestinal motility; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, we aimed to assess the therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and determine whether EA modulates the phospholipase C (PLC)-inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (PLC-IP3) pathway in PDGFRα+ cells to improve gastrointestinal motility disorders in FD. Accordingly, FD rats stimulated by tail-clamping were treated with EA (with or without PLC inhibitor U73122). We observed that the PLC-IP3 pathway was modulated in PDGFRα+ cells, which improved gastrointestinal motility in FD model rats. Based on western blotting and immunofluorescence assay results, EA increased the expression of PDGFRα+ cells and promoted the expression of PLC, P-PLC, and IP3 in the gastric sinuses of FD rats. U73122-mediated inhibition of PLC expression treatment considerably reduced the frequency of gastrointestinal motility. However, there was no significant difference between the effects of antagonist and antagonist + EA treatments; EA treatment was superior to antagonist and antagonist + EA treatment alone. Overall, these results suggest that EA could ameliorate gastrointestinal motility disorders in FD rats by activating the PLC-IP3 pathway in PDGFRα+ cells.