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Researchers have uncovered the likely neurological pathway that tells the body when it’s time to vomit. And with it, the possibility of relieving, in the long term, the symptoms of nausea linked to chemotherapy, for example.
Anyone who has ever experienced food poisoning knows this phenomenon: this disturbing and irremediable nausea, accompanied by cold sweats, which announces an imminent vomiting. If the moment is unpleasant, let’s admit it, it is only linked to a rather well-made protection mechanism: to get rid of a disturbing element as quickly as possible, bacteria release toxins which trigger the process of rapid evacuation of stomach contents. However, how the brain receives the alarm signal and then sends another to tell the stomach to empty has so far remained a mystery. Chinese scientists have therefore invested this field, not only to find out more, but also to find out how to counter this nausea, when it is caused by chemotherapy drugs and other drugs. The results were published in the journal cells.
Mice subjected to toxins and chemotherapy products
Thus, the researchers found that the causative bacteria and the chemotherapy drugs seem to trigger the same molecular pathways in the gut. For this, they carried out several experiments on mice, a rather surprising choice since these rodents are unable to vomit. Nevertheless, the mice are able to have nausea and spasms, especially in the mouth, which indicate when they are sick. The researchers at Tsinghua University in Beijing therefore gave the mice a bacterial toxin and monitored them closely with high-speed cameras: they discovered that the rodents had started to open their mouths strangely after the treatment. Other tests showed that their abdominal muscles move much like human stomachs do when they are about to be sick.
A chemotherapy drug administered demonstrated that mice behave in exactly the same way, so scientists looked deeper into the cells that respond to these triggers.
A determined neural pathway in nausea and vomiting
What happens when the urge to vomit grabs us (or at least grabs these mice)? The scientists thus traced the effect on certain brain neurons which released neurotransmitters when the drug or toxin reached the intestine. Following these messages, they also discovered cells in the small intestine that react to the presence of these harmful substances. A central player in the nausea and retching pathway happens to be an immune system molecule called interleukin 33, (or IL33). Once this is known, preventing the mice from making this IL33 could significantly reduce their symptoms of nausea and possible vomiting.
The result is not only useful to our knowledge, but it could greatly improve the comfort of patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. “It is possible that drugs that interfere with IL33 or other players in this pathway could help alleviate the suffering of people undergoing chemotherapy.” said Dr. Cao, first author of this study. If the results are maintained in humans, this study would indeed be the first step towards a better quality of life in people treated for cancer. Studies should be continued in this direction.
With regard to the discomfort following the ingestion of a not very fresh food, on the other hand, it is especially recommended to pay attention to the expiry dates and to what you eat!