Duodenal transcriptome responses to electroacupuncture in a rat model of functional dyspepsia: role of vagal signaling

This study employed RNA sequencing to profile the transcriptional landscape of the duodenum in a rat model of functional dyspepsia (FD). The primary goal was to investigate the therapeutic mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) by analyzing host gene expression changes and to delineate the essential role of the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve in mediating these effects. We systematically compared the duodenal transcriptomes across five experimental groups: normal controls, FD model rats, FD rats treated with EA, FD rats undergoing subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, and FD rats receiving combined vagotomy and EA treatment. Through differential gene expression and pathway enrichment analyses, this research aims to identify key genes and signaling pathways regulated by EA, and to determine whether such transcriptional reprogramming is dependent on intact vagal signaling. The findings are expected to provide novel molecular insights into how EA ameliorates FD symptoms via the gut-brain axis, offering potential targets for future therapeutic strategies.