Electroacupuncture pretreatment at ST36 alleviates acute gastric mucosal lesions induced by water immersion restraint stress through the TRPV1/SP/CGRP/NO pathway in rats

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of electro-acupuncture (EA) pretreatment on the progression of acute gastric mucosal lesions (AGMLs) induced by water immersion restraint stress (WIRS) and explore the related mechanisms including the transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV)1 signaling pathways. Methods: Rats treated with EA for 4 days were subjected to WIRS for 6 h. Microscopic lesions, oxidative stress and TRPV1, substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and gastric tissues were detected. Results: The results indicated the development of AGMLs with a substantial increase of TRPV1/SP in the DRG and TRPV1/SP/MDA (malondialdehyde activity) in the stomach, and a significant decrease in CGRP/NO/SOD (superoxide dismutase) in gastric tissues, using a combination of real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Conclusion: The TRPV1 signaling pathways likely play an important role in the pathogenesis of AGML. In addition, EA pretreatment protected gastric mucosa lesions induced by WIRS by reducing the expression of TRPV1/SP in the DRG and gastric mucosa, as well as up-regulating gastric CGRP/NO. Antioxidant mechanisms are likely to at least partially mediate the protective effects of EA against AGML.