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Protective Effect of Tangshen Formula (糖肾方) on Interstitial Cells of Cajal in Colon of Diabetic Rats

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Abstract

Objective

To explore the effect of Tangshen Formula (糖肾方, TSF), a Chinese herbal medicine, on interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in the colon of diabetic rats.

Methods

Fifty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control (NC, n=14) and high-fat diet (HFD) groups (n=40). After 6 weeks, the rats in the HFD group were injected intraperitoneally streptozotocin once (30 mg/kg). Thirty rats with fasting blood glucose higher than 11.7 mmol/L were randomly divided into diabetes (DM) and TSF groups, 15 rats in each group. Rats in the NC and DM groups were intragastrically administered with saline, and those in the TSF group were given with TSF (2.4 g/kg) once daily for 20 weeks. Expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 in colonic smooth muscle layer were measured by Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. The number of ICC was determined by immunohistochemical staining. Immunofluorescence was used for analyzing the ratio of classically activated macrophages (M1) and alternatively activated macrophages (M2) to total macrophages. Electron microscopy was used to observe the epithelial ultrastructure and junctions.

Results

TSF appeared to partially prevented loss of ICC in DM rats (P<0.05). Compared with the NC group, expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, and TNF-α as well as the ratio of M1 to total macrophages increased in DM rats (all P<0.05), and the ratio of M2 to total macrophages decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the DM group, TSF decreased the expression levels of abovementioned proteins and restore M2 to total macrophages ratio (P<0.05 or P<0.01). TSF appeared to attenuate the ultrastructural changes of epithelia and improve the tight and desmosome junctions between epithelia reduced in the DM rats.

Conclusion

Reduced number of ICC in DM rats may be associated with damage of the intestinal barrier. The protective effects of TSF on ICC may be through repair of the epithelial junctions, which attenuates inflammation and inflammation-initiated apoptosis in colon of DM rats.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Nissi S. Wang, MSc, for editing this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Key Lab Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China

    Peng-min Chen, Xin Yang, Jing Li, Hao-jun Zhang, Yu-ting Zhang & Ping Li

  2. Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8200, Denmark

    Jing-bo Zhao

  3. Department of Combination of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100010, China

    Hui-cun Zhang

Authors
  1. Peng-min Chen
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  2. Jing-bo Zhao
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  3. Xin Yang
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  4. Jing Li
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  5. Hao-jun Zhang
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  6. Hui-cun Zhang
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  7. Yu-ting Zhang
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  8. Ping Li
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Contributions

Chen PM designed, performed the experiment, and prepared the manuscript. Zhao JB supervised the study, provided suggestions and revised the manuscript. Yang X and Zhang HJ performed the animal experiments. Zhang HC was responsible for the sample collection and data analysis. Li J and Zhang YT performed electron microscopy. Li P supervised the study and revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript for publication.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ping Li.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests

Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81873135)

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Cite this article

Chen, Pm., Zhao, Jb., Yang, X. et al. Protective Effect of Tangshen Formula (糖肾方) on Interstitial Cells of Cajal in Colon of Diabetic Rats. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 28, 43–51 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-021-3297-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-021-3297-6

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