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Mechanism of interdigestive migrating motor complex in conscious dogs

Journal of Gastroenterology volume 45, pages 506–514 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

The migrating motor complex (MMC) is well characterized by the appearance of gastrointestinal contractions in the interdigestive state. This study was designed to clarify the mechanisms of gastric MMC (G-MMC) and intestinal MMC (I-MMC) in conscious dogs.

Methods

Five strain gauge transducers were implanted on the stomach and intestine. To investigate the correlation between luminal 5-HT and phase III contractions, gastric and duodenal juices were collected during the MMC cycle. The 5-HT concentrations in gastric and duodenal juice were measured by HPLC. To investigate whether luminal 5-HT initiates MMC, 5-HT (10−8–10−6 M, 10 ml) was administered into the duodenum 20 min after gastric phase III. To investigate the involvement of 5-HT3 or 5-HT4 receptors in mediating G-MMC and I-MMC, 5-HT3 antagonists (ondansetron) or 5-HT4 antagonists (GR 125,487) were infused for 120 min.

Results

Luminal administration of 5-HT (10−6 M) initiated duodenal phase II followed by G-MMC and I-MMC with a concomitant increased release of plasma motilin. The duodenal 5-HT concentration was significantly increased during phase II (59 ± 9 ng/ml) and phase III (251 ± 21 ng/ml) compared to that of phase I (29 ± 5 ng/ml). On the other hand, the 5-HT content in the stomach was not significantly changed throughout the MMC cycle. Intravenous infusion of motilin (0.3 μg/kg/h) increased the luminal 5-HT content and induced G-MMC and I-MMC. 5-HT4 antagonists significantly inhibited both G-MMC and I-MMC, while 5-HT3 antagonists inhibited only G-MMC.

Conclusion

It is suggested that the MMC cycle is mediated by a positive feedback mechanism via the interaction between motilin and 5-HT.

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Abbreviations

EC cell:

Enterochromaffin cell

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

IPAN:

Intrinsic primary afferent neurons

MMC:

Migrating motor complex

MI:

Motility index

RIA:

Radioimmunoassay

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Acknowledgment

The authors are thankful to Dr. Zen Itoh (Prof. Emeritus, Gunma University, Japan) for his valuable advice during the study.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Hitoshi Nakajima, Erito Mochiki, Kirk Ludwig & Toku Takahashi

  2. Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    Hitoshi Nakajima, Aaron Zietlow, Kirk Ludwig & Toku Takahashi

  3. Research Service 151, Zablocki VA Medical Center, 5000 West National Avenue, Milwaukee, WI, 53295, USA

    Toku Takahashi

Authors
  1. Hitoshi Nakajima
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  2. Erito Mochiki
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  4. Kirk Ludwig
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  5. Toku Takahashi
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Correspondence to Toku Takahashi.

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Nakajima, H., Mochiki, E., Zietlow, A. et al. Mechanism of interdigestive migrating motor complex in conscious dogs. J Gastroenterol 45, 506–514 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-009-0190-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-009-0190-z

Keywords

  • 5-HT
  • Motilin
  • Gastric MMC
  • Intestinal MMC