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OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on expression of cerebral Cx43 protein in acute cerebral infarction (ACI) rats so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of ACI. METHODS: Sixty male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation, model and EA preconditioning groups (n=20 in each group). Fourteen days before modeling, the rats in the EA preconditioning group accepted EA stimulation (3 Hz/15 Hz, 1 mA) at Dingzhongxian (MS5) and Dingpangxian (MS8) for 30 min, once daily, 6 times a week for 2 weeks. The ACI model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery for 120 min, followed by reperfusion. Twenty-four hours after modeling, the neurological function was evaluated according to the Zea-Longa's score criteria. The triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining method was used to detect the cerebral infarct volume. The expression levels of Cx43, phosphorylated (p)-Cx43 and PKC proteins in the right cerebral cortical infarction region were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The neurological function scores and the infarct volume were significantly higher in the model group than those in the sham operation group (P<0.05), and obviously lower in the EA preconditioning group than in the model group (P<0.05). The expression level of cerebral Cx43 protein was significantly increased (P<0.05), and those of p-Cx43 and PKC proteins were notably decreased in the model group relevant to the sham operation group (P<0.05). In the EA preconditioning group, the expression level of Cx43 was significantly decreased and those of p-Cx43 and PKC proteins were significantly increased than those in the model group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: EA pretreatment can relieve neurological damage and reduce cerebral infarction volume in ACI rats, which may be related to its function in promoting Cx43 protein phosphorylation via up-regulating PKC expression in the ischemic cerebral region.
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In the present paper, we summarized the relevant research literature on the underlying mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) intervention in improving cerebral ischemia (CI) in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model rats in recent 5 years from preconditioning and regular intervention. Outcomes showed that both EA preconditioning and regular intervention could relieve CI by reducing toxicity of excitatory amino acids (glutamate, aspartate) and TLR4/NF-κB-mediated inflammatory cascade reaction to relieve inflammatory injury. Moreover, EA preconditioning also could suppress the expression of pro-apoptosis genes and proteins to relieve apoptosis, regulate activation of microglia, and down-regulate the expression of blood brain barrier integrity-related matrix metalloprotein 9. Regular EA intervention also could promote angiogenesis to increase supply of blood and oxygen, facilitate regeneration, proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells via triggering activation of Notch and Shh signaling pathways, and promote the secretion of neurotrophin by up-regulating the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor /Trk A receptor, and promote expression of axon growth and synaptic remodeling-related factor (Ephrin B2/Eph B2) and sr-GTPase activating protein 1 and cell division cycle 42 (Cdc42, axon growth and orientated down-stream molecules). However, up to now, the conclusion is still fragmentary and one-sided, and can not explain the specific mechanism of electroacupuncture in MCAO rats, needing further in-depth study.
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OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of "Neiguan" (PC6)-electroacupuncture (EA) preconditioning on serum metabolites in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) rats, so as to reveal its mechanism underlying improvement of ischemic myocardium from metabonomics. METHODS: A total of 48 male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model, EA "Neiguan"(PC6) and EA "Hegu"(LI4) groups (n=12 rats/ group). Rats of the control group were just banded on animal boards for 30 min, once daily for 7 days. The MIRI model was established by occlusion of the left anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery for 40 min, followed by reperfusion for 1 h, and rats of the model group were also banded as those in the control group. Before modeling, EA (10 Hz/50 Hz, 1 mA) was applied to bilateral "Neiguan"(PC6) and "Hegu"(LI4) for 30 min, once daily for 7 successive days. After the treatment, serum samples were collected to be analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. The orthogonal partial least squares discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) was employed to distinguish the serum differential metabolic profile of rats in different groups and identify potential biomarkers. RESULTS: After modeling, the ECG of model group and electroacupuncture groups showed T wave towering, and there was no obvious ST segment between R wave and T wave. The T wave decreased more than 0.2 mV after reperfusion, and there was no obvious ST segment. Compared with the control group, MIRI induced significant changes of metabolites in the serum including increase of acetoacetate acid, lectic acid, creatine, glycerol and glucose, and decrease of alanine, glutamine, glycerophosphoryl choline and phosphorylcholine. In comparison with the model group, PC6-EA preconditioning induced significant changes, including an increase of glucose, and a decrease of leucine,isoleucine, valine,3-hydroxybutyric acid,lactate,acetate,acetone,acetoacetate acid,pyruvic acid,glutamine,creatine and glycerol. There is no significant difference in metabolic patterns between "Hegu" group and model group. Metabolic pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the protective effect of PC6-EA pretreatment was realized mainly by regulating pathways of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, citric acid metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, ketone body metabolism, etc. CONCLUSION: PC6-EA pretreatment has a role in regulating gluconeogenesis, pyruvate metabolism, amino metabolism, ketone body metabolism and energy metabolism in rats with MIRI, which maybe contribute to its protective effect on ischemic myocardium, but the specific metabolic pathways and mechanisms need being studied further.
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Electroacupuncture preconditioning can alleviate the nerve defect after cerebral ischemia injury, induce cerebral ischemic tolerance and exert the certain protective effect on brain, which may be involved in regulating endocannabinoid system, inhibiting exitotoxicity, inhibiting oxidative stress, inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress, inhibiting inflammatory response, protecting blood-brain barrier, inhibiting apoptosis and regulating autophagy, etc.
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OBJECTIVE@#To explore the protective effect and apoptosis-related mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) preconditioning in the rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.@*METHODS@#Sixty male SD rats, 3 months old, at SPF grade were randomized into a sham-operation group, an ischemia-reperfusion group and an EA preconditioning group, 20 rats in each one. In the ischemia-reperfusion group and EA preconditioning group, the modified MCAO suture-occlusion method was adopted to exert ischemia for 2 h and reperfusion for 3 h, and thus, the models of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury were prepared on the right side. In the sham-operation group, the right common carotid artery was separated and no more management was given. In the EA preconditioning group, EA at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Shenshu" (BL 23) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) was provided before modeling, with disperse-dense wave, at 2 Hz/100 Hz, 1 mA in intensity. The stimulation for 15 min was taken as one unit (meaning electric stimulation for 10 min and needle retaining for 5 min without electric stimulation). Such preconditioning was repeated continuously for 4 times, totally for 1 h. The neuroethologic condition was assessed in 3 h of reperfusion in each group. TTC staining method was used to determine the percentage of cerebral infarction zone, TUNEL method was to determine the apoptosis index (AI) in hippocampal neuron and the immunohistochemical method (IHC) was to determine the protein expression of p53 and caspase-3.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the sham-operation group, the neuroethologic score, the percentage of cerebral infarction zone and neuronal AI were all increased obviously in the ischemia-reperfusion group (all <0.01). Compared with the ischemia-reperfusion group, the neuroethologic score, the percentage of cerebral infarction zone and neuronal AI were all reduced obviously in the EA preconditioning group (all <0.01). p53's nuclei and caspase-3's cytoplasms were stained. The positive cells of both of them were brown-yellow in color. In the sham-operation group, the structure of the right hippocampal CA3 neurons of rats was clear, with few positive cells. In the ischemia-perfusion group, the positive expressions of p53 and caspase-3 in the right hippocampal CA3 were increased obviously (<0.01). Compared with the ischemia-reperfusion group, the positive expressions of caspase-3 and p53 in the right hippocampal CA3 were significantly reduced in the EA preconditioning group (<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Electroacupuncture preconditioning relieves ischemic injury in brain tissue of rats probably through inhibiting the expressions of p53 and caspase-3 to resisting neuronal apoptosis.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Male , Rats , Acupuncture Points , Brain Ischemia , Caspase 3 , Physiology , Electroacupuncture , Hippocampus , Neurons , Random Allocation , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Reperfusion Injury , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 , PhysiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture preconditioning combined with induced urination on urinary retention after milligan-morgan hemorrhoidectomy.@*METHODS@#Eighty patients with mixed hemorrhoids were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture group and a routine group, 40 cases in each group. Anesthesia at Yaoshu (GV 2) was given in the two groups. In the electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture at Zhongji (CV 3),Guanyuan (CV 4),Pangguangshu (BL 28) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) was applied with tolerant intensity for 30 min before operation, 2 Hz/100 Hz in frequency. After operation, induced urination was given, namely hot compress of bladder area and sound of hearing water. In the routine group,induced urination was given after operation. The score of the first urination waiting time, the distension of lower abdomen on the evening of the postoperative, the first time urinary volume and incidence of urinary retention were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#The scores of the first urination waiting time after operation and distension of lower abdomen in the evening of the postoperative in the electroacupuncture group were lower than those in the routine group, the first time urinary volume was more than that in the routine group, and the incidence of urinary retention was lower than that in the routine group (5.0% (2/40) vs 22.5% (9/40), all <0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Electroacupuncture preconditioning combined with induced urination can effectively prevent the incidence of urinary retention after milligan-morgan hemorrhoidectomy.
Subject(s)
Humans , Electroacupuncture , Hemorrhoidectomy , Hemorrhoids , Urinary Retention , Therapeutics , UrinationABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the difference of protective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at different times pretreating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) and the protein expressions of ULK1 and Beclin-1 in myocardial tissue, so as to explore the relation of the difference and autophagic mechanism.@*METHODS@#Sixty-three male SD rats were randomized into 7 groups, a sham group, a model group, an EA pretreating for 1 d (EA-1d) group, an EA pretreating for 2 d (EA-2d) group, an EA pretreating for 3 d (EA-3d) group, an EA pretreating for 4 d (EA-4d) group, an EA pretreating for 5 d (EA-5d) group, 9 rats in each group. All the rats in the pretreating groups were treated with EA 1-5 days before MIRI surgery. EA (2 Hz/100 Hz, 2 mA) was used at bilateral "Neiguan (PC 6)" for 20 min. All the rats except for those in the sham group was underwent left thoracotomy and ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery for 30 minutes followed by 4 hours of reperfusion to establish the MIRI model. The same operation was performed in the sham group except for the ligation of the LAD. Throughout the experiment, electrocardiogram was continuously monitored. The myocardial infarct sizes were assessed by Evans blue and triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. The serum concentrations of cardiac troponinⅠ(cTnⅠ) was detected by ELISA. The expressions of ULK1 and Beclin-1 in the heart tissues were analyze by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the sham group, the concentrations of cTnⅠ and the protein expressions of ULK1 and Beclin-1 increased in the model group (all <0.05). Compared with the model group, the infarct sizes decreased in the EA-1d, EA-2d, EA-3d, EA-4d and EA-5d groups (all <0.05), with less risk sizes in the EA-3d, EA-4d and EA-5d groups (all <0.05). The levels of cTnⅠin the EA-4d and EA-5d groups decreased ( both <0.05); the expressions of ULK1 protein decreased in the EA-1d, EA-2d, EA-3d, EA-4d and EA-5d groups (all <0.05); the expressions of Beclin-1 protein decreased in the EA-2d, EA-3d, EA-4d and EA-5d groups (all <0.05). The infarct sizes in the EA-4d and EA-5d groups were lower than that in the EA-1d group (both 0.05). The cTnⅠconcentration in the EA-4d group was less than that in the EA-1d group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Pretreatment with EA for 1-5 days can improve the infarct size in MIRI, with better effect of the pretreatment for 4-5 days. The cardioprotective effect may be related to the inhibition of autophagy. But the difference of the protective effects is not related to the protein expressions of ULK1 and Beclin-1.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Acupuncture Points , Autophagy , Electroacupuncture , Myocardial Ischemia , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) preconditioning on cerebral infarct volume and the contents of TNF-α, IL-10 in serum of rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group and an EA preconditioning group, 12 rats in each group, which were further divided into 12 h and 24 h after reperfusion subgroups, 6 rats in each one. EA was used before model establishment for 2 weeks in the EA preconditioning group. The model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats was established with modified Longa suture method. 12 h and 24 h after reperfusion, the degree of neurological deficit was assessed by the modified behavioral scoring scale; the cerebral infarct volume was measured by TTC method and the contents of TNF-α, IL-10 in serum were detected by ELISA method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the model group, the neurological severity scores in the EA preconditioning group significantly reduced 12 h and 24 h after reperfusion (both<0.05), the cerebral infarct volume in the EA preconditioning group significantly reduced 12 h and 24 h after reperfusion (both<0.05). Compared with the sham operation group, the serum TNF-α, IL-10 contents in the model group increased 12 h and 24 h after reperfusion (both<0.05). Compared with the model group, the serum TNF-α content reduced, while the serum IL-10 content increased in the EA preconditioning group 12 h after reperfusion (both<0.05). Compared with the model group, the serum TNF-α, IL-10 contents reduced in the EA preconditioning group 24 h after reperfusion (both<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EA preconditioning can improve neurological deficit, reduce cerebral infarct volume after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of EA on the dynamic balance between pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in peripheral blood of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in acute phase, thus alleviate acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion inflammatory response.</p>
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the partial action mechanism and the myocardial protective effect differences between electroacupuncture (EA) preconditioning at "Neiguan"(PC 6) and "Taiyuan"(LU 9) in rats with acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety-six Wistar rats were randomly assigned into a sham-operation group, a model group, a Neiguan group and a Taiyuan group, 24 rats in each one. The rats in the Neiguan group and Taiyuan group were treated with EA (2 Hz in frequency, 1 mA in intensity) at "Neiguan" (PC 6) and "Taiyuan" (LU 9) respectively, 20 min per treatment, once a day for consecutive 7 days. The rats in the sham-operation group and model group were treated with immobilization for the same time, and no EA was given. The model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury was established in the model group, Neiguan group and Taiyuan group 24 h after the end of EA, while the rats in the sham-operation group were treated with sham operation (no ligation was made during surgery). The myocardial ischemic size, infarction size, activity of protein kinase C (PKC) and expression of aquaporin1 (AQP1) in each group were detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with sham-operation group, the myocardial ischemic size, infarction size, AQP1 expression and PKC activity in the model group were significantly increased (all<0.01); compared with the model group and Taiyuan group, the myocardial ischemic size, infarction size, PKC activity and AQP1 expression were significantly decreased in the Neiguan group (<0.01,<0.05). By Pearson correlation analysis, the changes of AQP1 expression were positively correlated with those of PKC activity after EA preconditioning.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>EA preconditioning at "Neiguan" (PC 6) could significantly decrease myocardial AQP1 expression and PKC activity in rats with acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injuing, but the effect of EA preconditioning at "Taiyuan"(LU 9) is not obvious; its protective effect is likely to be achieved by inhibiting PKC activity and AQP1 expression.</p>