Effects of Shuwei Decoction on the expressions of Beclin-1, mTOR, Cx43 Protein and mRNA in gastrointestinal smooth muscle of rats with functional dyspepsia due to liver depression and spleen deficiency / 中成药

ABSTRACT

AIM To investigate the therapeutic action and mechanism of Shuwei Decoction (Bupleuri Radix,Cyperi Rhizoma,Atractylodis macrocephalae Rhizoma,etc.) on functional dyspepsia (FD) from the perspectives of autophagy and intercellular gap junction pathway through its impact on the expressions of Beclin-1,mTOR,Cx43 protein and mRNA in gastric antrum pyloric smooth muscle cells of FD model rats.METHODS Sixty Wistar rats were randomly divided into control (blank) group,model group,mosapride group (1.37 mg/kg),low,medium and high dose Shuwei Decoction groups (7.67 g/kg,15.34 g/kg,30.68 g/kg,respectively).FD model rats were prepared according to compound etiological modeling method for 21 days.On the first day after modeling,the rats in each group were given the corresponding medicine for intragastric administration once a day for 14 days.Two hours after the last administration,we procured gastric antrum and pyloric tissues from the sacrificed rats.The expressions of Beclin-1,mTOR and Cx43 protein were detected by Western blot,and so were the expressions of Beclin-1,mTOR and Cx43 mRNA by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR).RESULTS We observed decreased expression of Beclin-1 protein in low,medium and high dose Shuwei Decoction groups (P ＜ 0.01),and an increased expression of Cx43 protein in high dose Shuwei Decoction group (P ＜ 0.05).In medium and high dose Shuwei Decoction groups,decreased expression of Beclin-1 mRNA (P ＜ 0.01),and increased expression of mTOR and Cx43 mRNA (P ＜ 0.01) were detected as well.CONCLUSION Shuwei Decoction can improve FD by suppressing cell autophagy and enhancing the function of gap junction through up-regulating the expression of mTOR mRNA and Cx43 protein and mRNA,and down-regulating the expression of Beclin-1 protein and mRNA.