Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Improves Visceral Hypersensitivity and Gastric Motility and Depression-like Behaviors via Vago-Vagal Pathway in a Rat Model of Functional Dyspepsia
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation was recently reported to have a therapeutic potential for functional dyspepsia (FD). This study aimed to explore the integrative effects and mechanisms of auricular vagus nerve stimulation (aVNS) in a rodent model of FD. Methods: We evaluated the effe...
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/2/253 |
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| author | Liwei Hou Peijing Rong Yang Yang Jiliang Fang Junying Wang Yu Wang Jinling Zhang Shuai Zhang Zixuan Zhang Jiande D. Z. Chen Wei Wei |
| author_facet | Liwei Hou Peijing Rong Yang Yang Jiliang Fang Junying Wang Yu Wang Jinling Zhang Shuai Zhang Zixuan Zhang Jiande D. Z. Chen Wei Wei |
| author_sort | Liwei Hou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation was recently reported to have a therapeutic potential for functional dyspepsia (FD). This study aimed to explore the integrative effects and mechanisms of auricular vagus nerve stimulation (aVNS) in a rodent model of FD. Methods: We evaluated the effects of aVNS on visceral hypersensitivity, gastric motility and open field test (OFT) activity in iodoacetamide (IA)-treated rats. The autonomic function was assessed; blood samples and tissues were collected and analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blot. Vagotomy was performed to investigate the role of vagal efferent nerve. Results: aVNS reduced the electromyography response to gastric distension, improved gastric emptying and increased the horizontal and vertical motion scores of the OFT in IA-treated rats. The sympathovagal ratio was increased in IA-treated rats but normalized with aVNS. The serum cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and NF-κBp65 were increased in IA-treated rats and decreased with aVNS. The hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis was hyperactive in IA-treated rats but inhibited by aVNS. The expression of duodenal desmoglein 2 and occludin were all decreased in IA-treated rats and increased with aVNS but not sham-aVNS. Vagotomy abolished the ameliorating effects of aVNS on gastric emptying, horizontal motions, serum TNF-α and duodenal NF-κBp65. Conclusion: aVNS improves gastric motility and gastric hypersensitivity probably by anti-inflammatory mechanisms via the vago-vagal pathways. A better understanding on the mechanisms of action involved with aVNS would lead to the optimization of the taVNS methodology and promote taVNS as a non-pharmacological alternative therapy for FD. |
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| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:05:13Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-abfbc4ba90214a25887ffa33de0dd5152023-11-16T19:28:24ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252023-02-0113225310.3390/brainsci13020253Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Improves Visceral Hypersensitivity and Gastric Motility and Depression-like Behaviors via Vago-Vagal Pathway in a Rat Model of Functional DyspepsiaLiwei Hou0Peijing Rong1Yang Yang2Jiliang Fang3Junying Wang4Yu Wang5Jinling Zhang6Shuai Zhang7Zixuan Zhang8Jiande D. Z. Chen9Wei Wei10Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, ChinaInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, ChinaWangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100102, ChinaGuang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, ChinaInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, ChinaInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, ChinaInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, ChinaInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, ChinaInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, ChinaDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USAWangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100102, ChinaTranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation was recently reported to have a therapeutic potential for functional dyspepsia (FD). This study aimed to explore the integrative effects and mechanisms of auricular vagus nerve stimulation (aVNS) in a rodent model of FD. Methods: We evaluated the effects of aVNS on visceral hypersensitivity, gastric motility and open field test (OFT) activity in iodoacetamide (IA)-treated rats. The autonomic function was assessed; blood samples and tissues were collected and analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blot. Vagotomy was performed to investigate the role of vagal efferent nerve. Results: aVNS reduced the electromyography response to gastric distension, improved gastric emptying and increased the horizontal and vertical motion scores of the OFT in IA-treated rats. The sympathovagal ratio was increased in IA-treated rats but normalized with aVNS. The serum cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and NF-κBp65 were increased in IA-treated rats and decreased with aVNS. The hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis was hyperactive in IA-treated rats but inhibited by aVNS. The expression of duodenal desmoglein 2 and occludin were all decreased in IA-treated rats and increased with aVNS but not sham-aVNS. Vagotomy abolished the ameliorating effects of aVNS on gastric emptying, horizontal motions, serum TNF-α and duodenal NF-κBp65. Conclusion: aVNS improves gastric motility and gastric hypersensitivity probably by anti-inflammatory mechanisms via the vago-vagal pathways. A better understanding on the mechanisms of action involved with aVNS would lead to the optimization of the taVNS methodology and promote taVNS as a non-pharmacological alternative therapy for FD.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/2/253vagotomyvagus nervecholinergic anti-inflammatory pathwayinflammationhypothalamic–pituitary-adrenal axis |
| spellingShingle | Liwei Hou Peijing Rong Yang Yang Jiliang Fang Junying Wang Yu Wang Jinling Zhang Shuai Zhang Zixuan Zhang Jiande D. Z. Chen Wei Wei Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Improves Visceral Hypersensitivity and Gastric Motility and Depression-like Behaviors via Vago-Vagal Pathway in a Rat Model of Functional Dyspepsia Brain Sciences vagotomy vagus nerve cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway inflammation hypothalamic–pituitary-adrenal axis |
| title | Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Improves Visceral Hypersensitivity and Gastric Motility and Depression-like Behaviors via Vago-Vagal Pathway in a Rat Model of Functional Dyspepsia |
| title_full | Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Improves Visceral Hypersensitivity and Gastric Motility and Depression-like Behaviors via Vago-Vagal Pathway in a Rat Model of Functional Dyspepsia |
| title_fullStr | Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Improves Visceral Hypersensitivity and Gastric Motility and Depression-like Behaviors via Vago-Vagal Pathway in a Rat Model of Functional Dyspepsia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Improves Visceral Hypersensitivity and Gastric Motility and Depression-like Behaviors via Vago-Vagal Pathway in a Rat Model of Functional Dyspepsia |
| title_short | Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Improves Visceral Hypersensitivity and Gastric Motility and Depression-like Behaviors via Vago-Vagal Pathway in a Rat Model of Functional Dyspepsia |
| title_sort | auricular vagus nerve stimulation improves visceral hypersensitivity and gastric motility and depression like behaviors via vago vagal pathway in a rat model of functional dyspepsia |
| topic | vagotomy vagus nerve cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway inflammation hypothalamic–pituitary-adrenal axis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/2/253 |
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