Electroacupuncture at ST36 ameliorates gastric dysmotility in rats with diabetic gastroparesis via the nucleus tractus solitarius-vagal axis

Figure 3 Electroacupuncture improves gastric motility and is associated with vagus nerve targets. A-C: Western blotting analysis and quantification of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor protein levels in stomach tissue (n = 5); D: Expression of cluster of differentiation 117 +/ChAT + in the stomach in each group. Scale bar: 50 μm; E-G: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect the concentration of gastrin, motilin and vasoactive intestinal peptide in supernatant (n = 5). Data are expressed as the mean ± SD. ^aP < 0.05. C-kit: Cluster of differentiation 117; DGP: Diabetic gastroparesis; EA: Electroacupuncture; ChAT: Choline acetyltransferase; α7nAchR: α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor; Gas: Gastrin; MLT: Motilin; VIP: Vasoactive intestinal peptide.