Idrizaj E, Garella R, Francini F, Squecco R, Baccari MC. Relaxin influences ileal muscular activity through a dual signaling pathway in mice. World J Gastroenterol 2018; 24(8): 882-893 [PMID: 29491682 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i8.882]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Roberta Squecco, PhD, Research Scientist, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Physiological Sciences, University of Florence, Viale G.B. Morgagni 63, Florence 50134, Italy. roberta.squecco@unifi.it
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Basic Study
Open-Access Policy of This Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Feb 28, 2018; 24(8): 882-893 Published online Feb 28, 2018. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i8.882
Relaxin influences ileal muscular activity through a dual signaling pathway in mice
Eglantina Idrizaj, Rachele Garella, Fabio Francini, Roberta Squecco, Maria Caterina Baccari
Eglantina Idrizaj, Rachele Garella, Fabio Francini, Roberta Squecco, Maria Caterina Baccari, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Physiological Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
Author contributions: Idrizaj E and Garella R contributed equally to this work. Idrizaj E and Garella R performed the electrophysiological and the functional experiments, respectively; Baccari MC, Squecco R, Idrizaj E and Garella R designed the research study and analyzed the data; Francini F contributed to design the research study and analyzed the data; Baccari MC and Squecco R wrote the paper; Idrizaj E, Garella R, Francini F, Squecco R and Baccari MC critically revised the manuscript.
Supported by University of Florence (ex 60%) ROBERTASQUECCORICATEN15 (to Squecco R).
Institutional animal care and use committee statement: The experimental protocol was designed in compliance with the guidelines of the European Communities Council Directive 2010/63/UE and the recommendations for the care and use of laboratory animals approved by the Animal Care Committee of the University of Florence, Italy, with authorization from the Italian Ministry of Health nr. 787/2016-PR.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the authors.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
Correspondence to: Roberta Squecco, PhD, Research Scientist, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Physiological Sciences, University of Florence, Viale G.B. Morgagni 63, Florence 50134, Italy. roberta.squecco@unifi.it
Telephone: +39-55-2751600 Fax: +39-55-4379506
Received: October 19, 2017 Peer-review started: October 23, 2017 First decision: November 8, 2017 Revised: November 14, 2017 Accepted: November 28, 2017 Article in press: November 28, 2017 Published online: February 28, 2018 Processing time: 130 Days and 16 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Background
Relaxin (RLX) has been reported to modulate gastrointestinal smooth muscle activity in mice through the L-arginine/NO pathway. However, the possibility that the depressant effects of RLX in ileal preparations could involve additional pathways, not fully elucidated yet, was raised. On these grounds, the present study was designed to investigate the signaling pathways involved in the effects of RLX on ileal preparations. To this aim, we performed experiments using a combined mechanical and electrophysiological approach.
Research frontiers
The actions of RLX occur through a dual signaling pathway that, from a physiological point of view, might represent a reinforcing and cross-talking mechanism for the hormone aimed to guarantee and to prolong its myorelaxant effects in the small intestine.
Innovations and breakthroughs
This study shows, for the first time in ileal preparations, that RLX is able to influence the smooth muscle mechanical and electrophysiological activity through a dual signaling pathway.
Applications
The activation of both adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase pathways by RLX underlines the physiological importance of the hormone to relax ileal smooth muscle. In this view, it could be speculated that RLX may represent a potential therapeutic tool in those intestinal dysfunctions characterized by hypermotility states.
Terminology
The modulation of gastrointestinal smooth muscle activity by hormones may be investigated “in vitro” by recording either the mechanical responses or the electrophysiological properties. In ileal preparations, the hormone RLX has been shown to exert a modulatory role by depressing spontaneous contractions and by influencing the electrophysiological activity.
