[Electroacupuncture improves cognitive impairment of diabetic mice by regulating IRE1α-JNK pathway-related proteins in hippocampus].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the cognitive impairment and expressions of inositol-dependent kinase 1α (IRE1α)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway-related proteins in diabetic mice, so as to explore its underlying mechanism. METHODS: Thirty db/db mice were randomly divided into model group (n=15) and EA group (n=15), and 15 db/m mice were chosen as the control group. EA was applied to "Baihui" (GV20) and "Shenting" (GV24), bilateral "Pishu" (BL20) and "Shenshu" (BL23), "Zusanli" (ST36) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP6) for 20 min, and bilateral "Feishu" (BL13), "Hegu" (LI4) and "Taichong" (LR3) were stimulated with filiform needles, with the needles retained for 20 min, once daily, 6 days a week for 4 weeks. The daily food intake, water intake, and weekly body weight and blood glucose of the mice in each group were recorded. The learning and memory abilities were detected by Morris water maze, the morphology of hippocampal cells was observed by HE staining, and IRE1α-JNK pathway-related proteins IRE1α, JNK, anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2) were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the food intake, water intake, body weight, blood glucose in the mo-del group were significantly increased (P<0.01), the escape latency was significantly prolonged (P<0.05), the times of cros-sing platform were significantly reduced (P<0.01), and the expression levels of IRE1α and JNK proteins were significantly increased (P<0.01), while the expression of Bcl-2 protein was significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the food and water intake in the EA group were significantly decreased (P<0.01), the body weight and blood glucose were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), the escape latency was significantly shortened (P<0.05), the times of crossing platform significantly increased (P<0.05), and the expression levels of IRE1α and JNK proteins were significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the Bcl-2 expression was significantly increased (P<0.01). The cells in hippocampal CA1 area of mice in the model group are in disorder, with unclear nuclei and obvious vacuoles; while the morphology of nerve cells in EA group was significantly improved. CONCLUSION: EA can improve the cognitive impairment of db/db mice, as well as regulate body weight, blood glucose, and improve the cell morphology in the hippocampus, which may be related to its function in regulating the IRE1α-JNK pathway and related proteins.