Effect of electroacupuncture on gastric motility, expressions of ghrelin and GHSR mRNA in gastric antrum tissue of diabetic gastroparesis rats

Objective To explore the action mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) in improving the gastric motility of rats with diabetic gastroparesis (DGP). Methods Forty-eight healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned into four groups: a normal group (group A), a model group (group B), a group of EA at acupoints (group C), and a group of EA at non-acupoints (group D), 12 rats in each group. The animal model of DGP was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) plus high glucose and fat diet. The blood glucose, urine glucose and gastric emptying rate (GER) were observed. The content of insulin (INS) in serum and ghrelin in gastric antrum tissue were detected by enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA). The expression of growth hormone secretagogue receptor mRNA (GHSR mRNA) in gastric antrum tissue was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results Compared with group A, blood glucose and urine glucose increased significantly ( P <0.01), GER, content of serum insulin, the content of ghrelin and expression of GHSR mRNA in gastric antrum tissue decreased significantly ( P <0.05 or P <0.01) in group B. Compared with group B, blood glucose and urine glucose decreased significantly ( P <0.05), GER, the content of insulin in serum, the content of ghrelin and expression of GHSR mRNA in gastric antrum tissue increased significantly ( P <0.05 or P <0.01) in group C. Conclusion EA at acupoints can down-regulate the content of blood and urine sugar, and promote gastric emptying, which is possibly related to the regulation of serum insulin, and the expressions of ghrelin and GHSR mRNA in gastric antrum.