OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Banxia Xiexin Decoction (BXD) on expression of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) and stem cell factor (SCF) in the antrum of rats with diabetes mellitus (DM).

METHODSTotally sixty healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into the control group, the model group, the BXD group, and the Western medicine group (WM, treated by domperidone), 15 in each group. Diabetic rat models were established by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mg/kg). Those in the BXD group were perfused with BXD at the daily dose of 5.4 g/kg. An equal volume of distilled water was given by gastrogavage to those in the WM group and the control group for 8 successive weeks. The body weight and blood glucose of all rats were detected, and the gastric residual rates were detected with semisolid nutrient paste by gastrogavage. The expression of positive ICCs and SCF were observed by immunohistochemical method and quantified image analyzer.

RESULTSCompared with the control group,the body weight reduced, blood glucose and gastric residual rates increased, and the mean optical density of positive ICCs and SCF significantly decreased in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group,symptoms such as polydipsia, polyphagia, polyuria were relieved, spirits improved, the body weight and mean optical densities of positive ICCs and SCF significantly increased (P < 0.05), and gastric residual rates significantly decreased in the BXD group and the WM group (P < 0.05). The blood glucose significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the BXD group. The mean optical density of positive ICCs was higher in the BXD group than in the WM group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBXD could promote the expression of positive ICCs and SCF. It could improve the gastric motility in DM rats by partially inverting abnormal changes of gastric antral ICCs and SCF.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal ; metabolism ; Male ; Pyloric Antrum ; cytology ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cell Factor ; metabolism

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) on rat gastric antral circular smooth muscle function. Forskolin, a direct activator of adenylyl cyclase (AC), was used to observe the influences of cAMP. Multi-channel physiological recorder was used to record spontaneous contraction activity of gastric antral circular muscle from Wistar rats. And ELISA method was used to detect the change of cAMP production in perfusate. The results showed that forskolin concentration-dependently suppressed the amplitude and frequency of the spontaneous contraction of the gastric antral muscle, and lowered the baseline of contraction movement significantly. Forskolin concentration-dependently increased the production of cAMP in the perfusate, which showed a significant negative correlation with the contraction amplitude of gastric antral ring muscle. The inhibitory effect of forskolin on spontaneous contraction activity of rat gastric antral circular muscle could be blocked by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) inhibitor H-89. These results suggest forskolin increases cAMP production and then activates PKA pathway, resulting in the inhibition of the spontaneous contraction activity of rat gastric antral circular smooth muscle.
Adenylyl Cyclases ; metabolism ; Animals ; Colforsin ; pharmacology ; Cyclic AMP ; pharmacology ; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Isoquinolines ; pharmacology ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; Pyloric Antrum ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sulfonamides ; pharmacology

Actins ; immunology ; metabolism ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; metabolism ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fibroma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Leiomyoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Pyloric Antrum ; pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Vimentin ; metabolism

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In the Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori)-negative normal stomach, collecting venules are visible over all the gastric body as numerous minute points evaluated with standard endoscopy. This finding was termed regular arrangement of collecting venules (RAC), and its absence suggests H. Pylori gastritis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the RAC and rapid urease test. METHODS: Two hundred sixty three consecutive adults undergoing upper digestive endoscopy and rapid urease test were included. The lesser curvature of the lower corpus was evaluated for the RAC pattern using a standard endoscope and different hemoglobin index. Two biopsies from the lesser curvature of the antrum and the greater curvature of the body were collected for rapid urease test. RESULTS: H. Pylori were detected in 51.3% (135/263) patients. Of the 57 patients with H. Pylori-negative normal stomachs 53 patients (93%) had RAC. As a determinant of the normal stomach without H. Pylori infection, the presence of RAC had 41.4% sensitivity, 97.0% specificity, 93.0% positive predictive value and 63.6% negative predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: RAC-positive finding by standard endoscopy showed high positive predictive value and specificity of H. Pylori-negative normal stomach. RAC-positive finding by standard endoscopy could be an useful finding to predict H. Pylori negativity.
Adult ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Female ; Gastritis/microbiology/pathology ; Gastroscopy ; Helicobacter Infections/*diagnosis/microbiology ; *Helicobacter pylori ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyloric Antrum/blood supply/microbiology/pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urease/metabolism ; Venules/anatomy & histology

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of the method of soothing the liver and regulating qi on expression of gastrin and somatostatin in hypothalamus and gastric antrum of functional dyspepsia model rats.

METHODThe 32 rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, Chaihu Shugansan group and domperidone group (n = 8). The functional dyspepsia model was established by constantly squeezing their tails and mean while saline, Chaihu Shugansan decoction and domperidone suspension were administered respectively to 4 groups by gavage. The expression of gastrin and somatostatin in hypothalamus and gastric antrum of rats by immunohistochemical were detected 3 weeks later.

RESULTThe expression of GAS in the hypothalamus and gastric antrum of model group were less than those of normal group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while the expression of SS in the hypothalamus and gastric antrum in Model group were significantly increased than those of normal group (P < 0.01). The expression of GAS and SS in gastric antrum of Chaihu Shugansan group and domperidone group were increased and decreased respectively, and the differences were significant (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There were no obvious difference about expression of GAS, SS in the hypothalamus between domperidone group and model group. GAS expression in hypothalamus of Chaihu Shugansan group were increased than those of normal group but there was no obvious difference in SS expression in hypothalamus between Chaihu Shugansan group and model group.

CONCLUSIONThe method of soothing the liver and regulating qi can increase GAS expression in central and peripheral and decrease SS expression in peripheral gastric antrum, which may be one of its therapeutic mechanisms on functional dyspepsia.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Dyspepsia ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gastrins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hypothalamus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Pyloric Antrum ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Qi ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Somatostatin ; genetics ; metabolism

Animals ; Arecoline ; pharmacology ; Cholinergic Agonists ; pharmacology ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; physiology ; Pyloric Antrum ; physiology ; Receptor, Muscarinic M3 ; metabolism

This study was designed to isolate Ca2+-activated K+ current (IKCa) and elucidate its physiological significance in freshly isolated interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) of guinea-pig stomach. Single ICC was freshly isolated by enzymatically dissociating from myenteric border of gastric antrum free of circular muscles, and conventional whole-cell voltage clamp technique including immunohistochemical techniques were employed to characterize the cells: In myenteric border of gastric antrum, ICC-MY (ICCs from myenteric border) were detected by immunohistochemical reactivity, and single ICC-MY which has many branches was immunohistochemically c-Kit positive. Under K+-rich and 0.1 mM ethylene glycol-bis (2-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid pipette solution, ICC produced spontaneous inward current (-256+/-92.2 pA). When step-depolarizing pulse from -80 to +80 mV was applied at holding potential (Vh) of -80 mV, voltage-dependent outward currents were recorded with superimposed spontaneous transient outward currents (STOCs). Both STOCs and outward currents were reversibly affected by tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA) and iberiotoxin (IbTX); 2 mM TEA and 200 nM IbTX completely abolished STOCs and significantly inhibited outward K+ current over the whole potential range tested for current/voltage (I/V) relationship. In addition, TEA delayed repolarization phase of spontaneous inward current. The present results indicate the presence of IKCa in a single ICC, and it might be involved in regulation of repolarizing phase of spontaneous inward current in guinea-pig stomach.
Animals ; Calcium/*metabolism ; Guinea Pigs ; Membrane Potentials/drug effects ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Peptides/pharmacology ; Potassium Channels/drug effects/*physiology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit/*metabolism ; Pyloric Antrum/cytology/*physiology ; Tetraethylammonium/pharmacology

This study was designed to investigate the effects of polyamines on mechanical contraction and voltage-dependent calcium current (VDCC) of guinea-pig gastric smooth muscle. Mechanical contraction and calcium channel current (I(Ba)) were recorded by isometric tension recording and whole-cell patch clamp technique. Spermine, spermidine and putrescine inhibited spontaneous contraction of the gastric smooth muscle in a concentration-dependent manner. Spermine (2 mM) reduced high K+ (50 mM)-induced contraction to 16+/-6.4% of the control (n=9), and significantly inhibited I(Ba) in a reversible manner (p<0.05; IC50=0.8 mM). Pre- and post-treatment of tissue with spermine (2-5 mM, n=10) also inhibited acetylcholine (10 micrometer)-induced phasic contraction to 5+/-6.4% of the control. Inhibitory effect of spermine on I(Ba) was observed at a wide range of test potentials of current/voltage (I/V) relationship (p<0.05), and steady-state activation of I(Ba) was shifted to the right by spermine (p<0.05). Spermidine and putrescine (1 mM each) also inhibited I(Ba) to 51+/-5.7% and 81+/-5.3% of the control, respectively. And putrescine (1 mM) inhibited I(Ba) at whole tested potentials (p<0.05) without significant change of kinetics (p<0.05). Finally, 5 mM putrescine also inhibited high K+ -induced contraction to 53+/-7.1% of the control (n=4). These findings suggest that polyamines inhibit contractions of guinea-pig gastric smooth muscle via inhibition of VDCC.
Pyloric Antrum/*drug effects/physiology ; Potassium/pharmacology ; Polyamines/*pharmacology ; Muscle, Smooth/*drug effects/physiology ; Muscle Contraction/*drug effects ; Male ; Guinea Pigs ; Female ; Calcium Channels/drug effects/physiology ; Calcium/metabolism ; Animals

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between precancerous lesions of gastric antrum and substance P (SP) , vasoactive intestinal peptide ( VIP) , calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and the therapeutic mechanism of Zu' ai Weitai Granule (ZWG) , a TCM preparation.

METHODSThe rat model of precancerous lesions of gastric carcinoma was induced by the combined method of N-methyl N' -nitrosoguani-dine (MNNG) and mechanical injury on gastric mucosa. The pathologic morphological changes of gastric mucosa were observed after prophylactic and therapeutic administration of ZWG. In the meantime,the changes in SP, VIP and CGRP contents were determined by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTSThe contents of SP and CGRP in gastric antrum were obviously improved in the ZWG group when compared with those in the control group (P <0. 05). There was no significant difference in VIP content between the two groups (P >0. 05).

CONCLUSIONZWG could improve SP, VIP, and CGRP contents in rats' gastric antrum either as prophylactic administration or therapeutic administration.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; metabolism ; Carcinoma ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Precancerous Conditions ; metabolism ; Pyloric Antrum ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Substance P ; metabolism ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide ; metabolism

OBJECTIVESince application of pediatric gastroscopy in the mid-nineteen nineties, there has been a trend that the prevalence rates of pediatric gastritis and duodenal ulcer (DU) are increasing. The diagnosed rate of pediatric gastritis has accounted for 85% - 95% of the total number of children who received gastroscopy, and the rate of DU accounted for 8% - 22%. Such a high rates of the diseases may influence the development of the children severely. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of pediatric chronic gastritis and DU have not been completely elucidated. The disordered gastrointestinal hormones play a crucial role in the pediatric chronic gastritis and DU. This study focused on the expression of gastrin (GAS), somatostatin (SS) in the mucosa of gastric antrum and PCNA and Fas-L in the sinus ventriculi and their possible roles in the pathogenesis of pediatric chronic gastritis and DU.

METHODThe sinus ventriculi mucosal samples of 83 cases were collected via gastroscopic biopsy from the hospital during the recent two years and the cases were divided into five groups: group A, chronic superficial gastritis, Helicobacter pylori (Hp)(+); group B, chronic superficial gastritis, Hp(-); group C, DU, Hp(+); Group D, DU, Hp(-); Group E, normal sinus ventriculi mucosa, Hp(-). Immunohistochemical staining (En Vision) was carried out for GAS, SS, PCNA and Fas-L, and positive cells of each slide were counted (x 400). Statistically significant differences among groups for continuous data were assessed with the software SPSS10.0.

RESULTSThe expressions of GAS and SS in the groups A through E had no significant difference. The expression of PCNA in group A was significantly higher than that in group B (P < 0.05), and no significant differences were found among the other groups. There were no significant differences in expressions of Fas-L among the five groups.

CONCLUSIONThere seems to be an increasing tendency in the expressions of GAS and SS in children with chronic gastritis and duodenal ulcer. Hp infection promotes the multiplication of the sinus ventriculi mucosal epithelium cells in the pediatric chronic gastritis.

Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Duodenal Ulcer ; metabolism ; microbiology ; pathology ; Fas Ligand Protein ; metabolism ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gastrins ; metabolism ; Gastritis ; metabolism ; microbiology ; pathology ; Gastroscopy ; Helicobacter Infections ; microbiology ; Helicobacter pylori ; isolation & purification ; pathogenicity ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Pyloric Antrum ; metabolism ; pathology ; Somatostatin ; metabolism