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01-11-2014 | Original Article

Effect of Biliary Cirrhosis on Neurogenic Relaxation of Rat Gastric Fundus and Anococcygeus Muscle: Role of Nitric Oxide Pathway

Authors: Mehdi Ghasemi, Ali Reza Karimollah, Bardia Bakhtiari, Abbas Ghasemi, Leila Moezi, Arash Bahremand, Pouya Ziaei, Ahmad Reza Dehpour

Published in: Digestive Diseases and Sciences | Issue 11/2014

Abstract

Background

Cirrhosis, associated with a host of hemodynamic abnormalities, could affect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract motility. On the other hand, the nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) neurotransmission has been shown to play a pivotal role in GI tract motility and has been linked with release of nitric oxide (NO) on electrical stimulation. In this study, we investigated the effect of biliary cirrhosis on the neurogenic relaxation of rat gastric fundus and anococcygeus muscle and also the possible role of nitric oxide system in this manner.

Methods

Isolated gastric fundus and anococcygeus strips of sham-operated and biliary cirrhotic (4 weeks after bile duct ligation) rats were mounted under tension in a standard organ bath. Electrical stimulation was applied to obtain NANC-mediated relaxations in precontracted gastric fundus and anococcygeus muscle. The neurogenic relaxations were examined in the presence of different doses of NO synthase inhibitor, N ^w-Nitro-l-Arginine Methyl Ester (l-NAME). The concentration-dependent relaxant responses to the NO donor sodium nitroprusside were also evaluated.

Results

The neurogenic relaxation of both gastric fundus and anococcygeus muscle was significantly (P < 0.001) increased in cirrhotic animals. l-NAME (0.03–1,000 µM) inhibited relaxations in both groups in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.001), but cirrhotic groups were more resistant to the inhibitory effects of l-NAME (P < 0.01). Sodium nitroprusside-mediated relaxations were similar in two groups.

Conclusions

This study for the first time demonstrated that cirrhosis increases the NO-mediated neurogenic relaxation of both rat gastric fundus and anococcygeus muscle, suggesting a crucial role for the neurogenic NO in the pathophysiology of disturbed GI motility in cirrhosis.

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Title: Effect of Biliary Cirrhosis on Neurogenic Relaxation of Rat Gastric Fundus and Anococcygeus Muscle: Role of Nitric Oxide Pathway
Authors: Mehdi Ghasemi
Ali Reza Karimollah
Bardia Bakhtiari
Abbas Ghasemi
Leila Moezi
Arash Bahremand
Pouya Ziaei
Ahmad Reza Dehpour
Publication date: 01-11-2014
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Digestive Diseases and Sciences / Issue 11/2014
Print ISSN: 0163-2116
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2568
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-014-3225-0

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