Effects of sacral nerve electrical stimulation on 5 ‑HT and 5‑HT3AR/5‑HT4R levels in the colon and sacral cord of acute spinal cord injury rat models.

Effects of sacral nerve electrical stimulation on 5‑HT and 5‑HT3AR/5‑HT4R levels in the colon and sacral cord of acute spinal cord injury rat models. Mol Med Rep. 2020 May 15;: Authors: Zhu Y, Cheng J, Yin J, Yang Y, Guo J, Zhang W, Xie B, Lu H, Hao D Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to defecation dysfunction. Sacral nerve electrical stimulation (SNS) therapy could improve defecation function. The present study aimed to assess SNS therapy, with regard to the levels of serotonin (5‑HT) and its receptors (5‑HT3AR and 5‑HT4R) in the colon and sacral cord, a rat model of acute severe SCI was used. This rat model was made using the New York University Impactor device. Model rats were randomized to the SCI and SNS (electrical stimulation on the S3 nerve) groups. After 14 days of treatment, enteric transmission function was assessed. 5‑HT and 5‑HT3AR/5‑HT4R were measured by ELISA, quantitative PCR, immunohistochemistry and western blotting. In SCI rats, SNS significantly increased the quantity of feces, shortened the time to the first fecal passage, and improved fecal texture and colon histology. SNS elevated 5‑HT contents in the colon and spinal cord, and enhanced 5‑HT3AR/5‑HT4R protein expression and distribution in the colonic myenteric plexus and mucosa, sacral intermediolateral nucleus and dorsal horn. SNS upregulated the relative expression levels of 5‑HT3AR/5‑HT4R mRNA and protein in the col...
Source: Molecular Medicine Reports - Category: Molecular Biology Tags: Mol Med Rep Source Type: research