Clinical Research
Copyright ©2007 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. May 14, 2007; 13(18): 2575-2580
Published online May 14, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i18.2575
A preliminary study of neck-stomach syndrome
Xing-Hua Song, Xiao-Xiong Xu, Li-Wen Ding, Li Cao, Alken Sadel, Hao Wen
Xing-Hua Song, Li Cao, Alken Sadel, Xiao-xiong Xu, Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China
Li-Wen Ding, Teaching Department, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China
Hao Wen, Xinjiang Clinical Hydatid Research Institute and General Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the Science Foundation of Chinese Post-doctor
Correspondence to: Hao Wen, Xinjiang Clinical Hydatid Research Institute and General Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, No. 1, LiYuShan Road, Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China. wenh19@163.com
Telephone: +86-991-4363775 Fax: +86-991-4324139
Received: March 8, 2007
Revised: March 10, 2007
Accepted: March 31, 2007
Published online: May 14, 2007
Abstract

AIM: To determine the expression of c-Fos, caspase-3 and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the cervical cord and stomach of rats with cervical spondylosis, to analyze their relationship, and to offer an explanation of one possible cause for functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) caused by cervical spondylosis.

METHODS: The cervical spondylosis model in rats was established by destroying the stability of cervical posterior column. The cord segments C4-6 and gastric antrum were collected 3 mo and 5 mo after the operation. Rats with the sham operation were used as controls. The expressions of c-Fos, caspase-3 and IL-1β in the cervical cord and gastric antrum were determined by immunohistochemistry and/or Western blot.

RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining showed a few c-Fos, caspase-3 and IL-1β-positive cells in the cervical cord and antrum in the control. There was a significant increase in c-Fos, caspase-3 and IL-1β expression in model groups compared to the control groups at 3 mo and 5 mo after operation. More importantly, there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in c-Fos, caspase-3 and IL-1β expression in the model group rats at 3 mo compared to those at 5 mo after the operation (c-Fos: 11.20 ± 2.26 vs 27.68 ± 4.36 in the cervical cord, 11.3 ± 2.3 vs 29.3 ± 4.6 in the gastric antrum; caspase-3: 33.83 ± 3.71 vs 36.32 ± 4.01 in the cervical cord, 13.23 ± 3.21 vs 26.32 ± 4.01 in the gastric antrum; IL-1β: 42.06 ± 2.95 vs 45.91 ± 3.98 in the cervical cord, 26.56 ± 2.65 vs 32.01 ± 2.98 in the gastric antrum). Western blot analysis showed time-dependent changes of caspase-3 and IL-1β protein in the cervical cord and gastric antrum of rats with cervical spondylosis; there was no significant expression of caspase-3 and IL-1β protein in the control group at 3 mo and 5 mo after the sham operation, whereas there was a significant difference in caspase-3 and IL-1β protein levels between the model group rats followed up for 3 mo and those for 5 mo (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: There is a significant association of c-Fos, caspase-3 and IL-1β expressions in the gastric antrum with that in the spinal cord in rats with cervical spondylosis, suggesting that the gastrointestinal function may be affected by cervical spondylosis.

Keywords: Caspase-3; IL-1β; c-Fos; Cervical spondylosis; Gastric antrum