Mild moxibustion at Tianshu (ST 25) decreases expression of prokineticin-1 and prokineticin receptor-1 in colon tissue of rats with chronic visceral hyperalgesia

摘要

Prokineticin-1 and prokineticin receptor-1 play important roles in visceral hypersensitivity and inflammatory pain. Visceral hypersensitivity is closely associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Mild moxibustion can relieve chronic visceral hyperalgesia in rats with irritable bowel syndrome. We hypothesized that prokineticin-1 and prokineticin receptor-1 is the key target in the mechanism. This study established chronic visceral hyperalgesia rat models by colorectal distention. Protein and mRNA expression of prokineticin-1 and prokineticin receptor-1 were determined by immunohistochemical method and fluorescence quantitative-PCR, respectively, and were found to be significantly increased in visceral hyperalgesic rats. Mild moxibustion at Tianshu (ST 25) decreased prokineticin-1 and prokineticin receptor-1 expression in chronic visceral hyperalgesia rats and lessen the chronic visceral hyperalgesia in rats with irritable bowel syndrome at different levels of colorectal distention pressure.