[Electroacupuncture promotes gastrointestinal motility by activating autophagy of Cajal interstitial cells via downregulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in stomach of diabetic gastro-paresis rats]

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Zusanli" (ST36), "Sanyinjiao" (SP6) and "Liangmen" (ST21) on gastrointestinal motility, blood glucose content and expression of autophagy-related proteins 1 light chain 3 (LC3), p62, phosphatidyli-nositol-3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), p-Akt and mammalian target protein of rapamycin (mTOR) of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in the cultured gastric antrum cells in diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) rats, so as to reveal its mechanisms underlying improvement of DGP.A total of 45 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into blank control, model, EA, medication (3-methyladenine, 3-MA) and EA+3-MA groups, with 9 rats in each group. The DGP model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 2% streptozotocin (STZ) combined with high-fat and high sugar diet for 8 weeks. The gastric emptying rate was measured by using gavage of phenol red (to measure the propelling length of the phenol red/total length of small intestine ×100%). The symptom score (mental state, coat color and luster, behavior and activity, stool traits) of rats was observed every week and the blood glucose content was measured by using a glucometer. EA (20 Hz/100 Hz, 2 mA) was applied to unilateral ST36, SP6 and ST21 alternatively for 15 min, once daily, 5 days a week for 3 weeks. Rats of the 3-MA and 3-MA+EA groups received intraperitoneal injection of 3-MA (30 mg·kgCompared with the blank control group, the symptom score, blood glucose, and the expression levels of p62, class Ⅰ PI3K, Akt, p-Akt and mTOR proteins were increased significantly (EA can improve the gastrointestinal motility and symptoms in DGP rats, which may be related to its functions in downregulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling to promote autophagy level of ICC.