Advances in the Treatment of Cholinergic Anti-Inflammatory Pathways in Gastrointestinal Diseases by Electrical Stimulation of Vagus Nerve.


Author: Lei W1,2, Duan Z3,4

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Second Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.

<sup>2</sup>Laboratory of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.

<sup>3</sup>Second Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China, cathydoctor@sina.com.

<sup>4</sup>Laboratory of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China, cathydoctor@sina.com.
Conference/Journal: Digestion.
Date published: 2019 Nov 29
Other:
 Volume ID: 1-11   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1159/000504474. [Epub ahead of print]   ,  Word Count: 196  
    BACKGROUND: The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAIP) has been proposed as a key mechanism by which the brain, through the vagus nerve (VN), modulates the immune system in the body. Recent studies of VN stimulation (VNS) in vivo systems have shown that it plays an anti-inflammatory role through CAIP. Inflammatory diseases in the gastrointestinal tract are frequent and difficult to treat.



SUMMARY: The mechanism of the anti-inflammatory effect of VNS through CAIP is not fully known. The current review covers anatomy, molecular mechanisms, and the application in gastrointestinal diseases of the vagal CAIP. Key Messages: CAIP bridges immune and nervous systems and plays pleiotropic roles in modulating inflammation in animal models by targeting different immune, proinflammatory, epithelial and endothelial cells, and signaling pathways. Numerous animal studies have shown beneficial effects of stimulation of this pathway in models of inflammatory diseases, either through (electrical) stimulation of the VN or pharmacological approaches. In this review, we focus on the anti-inflammatory benefits of VNS as a means of providing new insights into treating inflammation-related gastrointestinal diseases, as exemplified by those described herein.



© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.



KEYWORDS: Cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway; Gastrointestinal tract; Vagus nerve stimulation; α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor



PMID: 31786570  DOI: 10.1159/000504474