Abdominal therapeutic ultrasound attenuates DSS-induced acute colitis through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway

Authors

• NS Nunes
• P Chandran
• M Sundby
• F Visioli
• FC Goncalves
• SR Burks
• AH Paz
• JA Frank

Abstract

Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced colitis is a mouse model that closely mimics human ulcerative colitis (UC), triggering an exacerbated immune response due to colonic epithelial damage and inducing diarrhea, weight loss and bloody stools. Despite available treatments, UC sustained remission is not achievable. Therapeutic Ultrasound (TUS) has been shown to prevent kidney injury in mice through stimulation of the vagus nerve (VN) and activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAIP). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of TUS in DSS-induced colitis. Acute colitis was induced by 2%DSS in drinking water of C56Bl/6 mice for 7d. Animals were treated with TUS over the abdomen from days 4-10, 7min/day, 1Mhz, 2W/cm2 and 10% duty cycle with 5cm2 transducer. Mice were scored daily for clinical symptoms, and euthanized at day 14 for collection of biological material; colons were collected at different timepoints for proteomics. TUS ameliorated colitis by reducing clinical scores, colon shortening and histological damage (p

Scientific Focus Area: Immunology

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