Bone marrow derived interstitial cells of Cajal are increased by electroacupuncture in the colon of diabetic mice.

Background and Aim Insufficiency of interstitial cells of cajal (ICC) in the muscular plexus of colon has been proved in diabetic mice. Electroacupuncture (EA) at ST36 can accelerate ICC supplement in the colon of diabetic mice, but the source of increased ICC has not been clearly explored. Bone marrow cells possess the potential of migration and differentiation into ICC of the intestine. Our aim is to explore the effects of EA on variations of bone marrow-derived ICC in the colon of diabetic mice as well as its mechanism. Methods Wild C57BL/6 mice were divided into six groups with random assignment method: control group, diabetic mellitus (DM) group, bone marrow transplantation (BMT) + DM group, BMT + DM + sham EA group, BMT + DM + low-frequency EA group, and BMT + DM + high-frequency EA group. Flow cytometric method was adopted to identify the chimera model. The specific location and expression levels of c-Kit+ green fluorescent protein (GFP+) cells in colon were detected by immunofluorescence. Western blot and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to assess the expression level of c-Kit, GFP, membrane-band stem cell factor (mSCF), p-ERK, p-c-Jun, ETV1, stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1), CXCR4, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), and smad3. Results c-Kit+ GFP+ cells in the muscular plexus of colon were apparently increased in the EA groups; the protein and mRNA expression level of CXCR4, SDF-1, TGF-beta 1, smad3, c-kit, mSCF, p-ERK, p-c-Jun, and ETV1 were elevated in the EA groups. Conclusions Electroacupuncture can effectively increase bone marrow-derived ICC in the colon by SDF-1/CXCR4, TGF-beta 1/Smad3, and mSCF/Kit-p-ERK/p-c-Jun-ETV1 signal pathway.