Electroacupuncture Modulates 5-HT4R-Mediated cAMP/PKA Signaling to Improve Intestinal Motility Disorders in a Thy1-aSyn Parkinson's Mouse Model

Constipation is one of the most common nonmotor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and often occurs before motor symptoms. Electroacupuncture effectively improves the symptoms of constipation in patients with PD. In the present study, we used thymus cell antigen 1-alpha-synuclein (Thy1-alpha Syn) transgenic mice as a model of intestinal motility disorders in PD to determine the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture and the underlying mechanisms. Electroacupuncture significantly improved fecal excretion and accelerated the rate of small-intestinal propulsion in Thy1-alpha Syn mice by upregulating the serotonin concentration and the expression of the serotonin 4 receptor. Consequently, the downstream cyclic AMP/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) pathway was affected, and to upregulate and downregulate, the expression of substance P was upregulated, and the expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide was downregulated. In summary, electroacupuncture improved intestinal motility in PD mice by affecting serotonin levels, serotonin 4 receptor expression, and the cAMP/PKA pathway, providing a potentially effective and promising complementary and alternative therapy for relieving constipation symptoms in patients with PD.

Automated summary

Electroacupuncture improved constipation symptoms in PD patients by affecting serotonin levels, serotonin 4 receptor expression, and the cAMP/PKA pathway. This study provides a potentially effective and promising alternative therapy for relieving constipation symptoms in patients with PD.