Effect of Tuina on Autophagy-related Factor Beclin-1, Vacuolar Protein Sorting and Microtubule-associated Protein Light Chain 3 in Rats with Denervated Skeletal Muscle Atrophy / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To explore the effect and mechanism of Tuina on denervated skeletal muscle atrophy. Methods:A total of 77 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group (n = 7), model group (n = 35) and Tuina group (n = 35). The latter two groups were established skeletal muscle atrophy model by exposing and cutting off the common tibial nerve of rats. One day after modeling, the lower limbs of the surgical side received Tuina in Tuina group. Separately, the surgical side of gastrocnemius muscle were sampled on the 0th, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28thday after modeling, and measured the wet mass ratio. The cross-sectional area and diameter of muscle fiber were measured after HE staining. The mRNA expression of autophagy-realated factor Beclin-1, vacuolar protein sorting (Vps34) and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) were tested with reverse transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results:There was no statistical difference in the ratio of gastrocnemius wet weight, the cross-sectional area and diameter of muscle fiber, and the mRNA expression of Beclin-1, Vps34 and LC3 among three groups on the 0th day (F < 1.321, P > 0.05). Compared with the sham group, the ratio of gastrocnemius wet weight, the cross-sectional area and diameter of muscle fiber decreased at different time points in the model group and Tuina group (P < 0.05), the ratio of gastrocnemius wet weight was higher, and the cross-sectional area and diameter of muscle fiber were bigger, both except on the 21st day, in Tuina group than in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the sham group, the mRNA expression of Beclin-1, Vps34 and LC3 increased at different points in the model group than in Tuina group (P < 0.05), and all the mRNA expression was higher, except on the 14th day, in Tuina group than in the model group (P < 0.05). The ratio of gastrocnemius wet weight, the cross-sectional area and diameter of muscle fiber showed a trend of progressive decrease with time in the model group and Tuina group (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of Beclin-1 and Vps34 increased (P < 0.05), and the mRNA expression of LC3 increased in the model group 21 days after intervention (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of Beclin-1, Vps34 and LC3 increased first and then decreased, except the mRNA expression on the 14th day in Tuina group (P < 0.05). Conclusion:Tuina may promote the activation of autophagy by up-regulating the expression of autophagy-realated factor Beclin-1, Vps34 and LC3, remove the damaged organelles and proteins, provide certain synthetic substrate and energy for muscle fiber regeneration, thereby reduce the loss of degree of denervated skeletal muscle atrophy.

Effect of Electroacupuncture on Blood-brain Barrier in SAMP8 Mice / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture on blood-brain barrier to promote intake of drugs into brain of SAMP8 mice. Methods:The male SAMP8 mice (30-week-old) were randomly divided into model group (n = 7), drug group (n = 7), acupuncture group (n = 7) and combined group (n = 7). Other SAMR1 mice were as control group (n = 7). The acupuncture group and the combined group accepted electroacupuncture at Baihui (DU20) and Yintang (EX-HN3), the drug group and the combined group accepted Donepezil, for four weeks. They were observed hippocampus tight junction (TJ) under transmission electron microscope. The activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in hippocampus were detected with immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression of ZO-1, Claudin-5 and Occludin was detected with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results:TJ and basement membrane in the control group, the acupuncture group and the combined group were better than those in the model group and the drug group. AChE was the most in the combined group, and then the drug group and the control group, the acupuncture group and the model group (P < 0.001). The expression of mRNA of ZO-1, Claudin-5 and Occludin was more in the acupuncture group and the combined group than in the drug group (P < 0.01). Conclusion:Electroacupuncture could ameliorate blood-brain barrier disruption and promote drug to enter the brain in SAMP8 mice, which may relate to the adjustion of ZO-1, Claudin-5 and Occludin.

Changes in expression of autophagy-related factors during acute contusion repair of skeletal muscle / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To explore the possible biological mechanism of skeletal muscle contusion repair through researching the changes in expression of autophagy-related genes and proteins in SD rats with acute skeletal muscle contusion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Six rats were randomly selected as the control group from 30 male SD rats, acute skeletal muscle contusion model were established in the remaining 24 rats with self-made hitter, then the model rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (3 d, 5 d, 7 d, 14 d groups, =6). On the 3, 5, 7 and 14 day after injury, injured gastrocnemius of each group was harvested. The morphological and the ultra-microstructure changes of gastrocnemius after injury were observed by HE staining and transmission electron microscope (TEM) respectively. The relative protein levels of (LC3-Ⅱ) and P62 of each group were observed by Western blot. The relative mRNA levels of atg7, atg10, atg12, atg16L1 of each group were observed by RTPCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The results of HE staining showed that compared with the control group, the inflammation reached its peak on the 5 day after injury, new muscle fibers were clearly observed in 7 d group. The results of TEM showed that, compared with the control group, oncotic mitochondria could be clearly seen in the 3 d, 5 d, 7 d groups. Also, the Z line changed from disappearing to drift thickening, sarcoplasmic reticulum dilatation gradually improved, there was no evident difference between the 14 d group and the control group, suggesting that the damage has preliminarily healed. The results of Western blot showed that the expressions of LC3-Ⅱand P62 were increased at first and then decreased. The expression of LC3-Ⅱwas markedly up-regulated in the 3 d, 5 d, 7 d groups compared with the control group and the 14 d group (<0.01). Similarly, compared with the control group, the expression of P62 reached its peak on the 3 day after injury (<0. 01), and returned to normal level on the 14 day. The results of RT-PCR showed that the expression of atg10 mRNA in the natural recovery group of 3 d, 5 d, 7 d, 14 d was firstly decreased and then increased, the atg10 mRNA was markedly down-regulated in the 3 d, 5 d, 7 d groups compared with the control group and the 14 d group (<0. 01). The expression of atg7, atg12, atg16L1 mRNA was generally increased at first and then decreased, it was markedly up-regulated in the 3 d, 5 d, 7 d groups compared with the control group and the 14 d group (<0.01, <0.05, <0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The above results indicate that the autophagy is involved in repair of skeletal muscle injury by its autophagyrelated factors,regularly changes after contusion, and the rate of damage repair may be related to the level of autophagy.</p>

Effects of electroacupuncture on tumor growth and immune function in the Walker-256 model rat / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of acupuncture on tumor and its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Liver cancer, gastric cancer and hypodermic tumor rat models were made by implantation of replicated Walker-256 cell strain. The 3 model rats were respectively divided into two groups at random, a model control group and an electroacupuncture group. The electroacupuncture groups were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) at "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Hegu" (LI 4) and "San-yinjiao" (SP 6), once each day, 15 min one session, for 15 days. The gross tumor volume and the tumor inhibitory rate, and the levels of humoral immunity index, including serum 1gG, IgM, IgA and C3, C4, and the levels of cellular immunity index, including CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ in the peripheral blood in each group were detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The gross tumor volumes in the EA groups were significantly smaller than those in the model control group (P<0.01). The contents of IgG, IgM and C3 in the EA groups increased significantly compared with those in the model control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The contents of IgA and C4 in the EA groups did not significantly change (P>0.05). The content of CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ in the EA groups are significantly higher than those in the model control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Hegu" (LI 4) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) can increase immune function and inhibit tumor growth in Walker-256 liver cancer, gastric cancer and hypodermic tumor rats.</p>

Clinical study on combination of acupuncture, cupping and medicine for treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at five mental points and moving cupping on the Hechelu of the back on fibromyalgia syndrome (FS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-six cases who conformed to the criteria were randomly divided into the treatment group treated with acupuncture at five mental points, moving cupping on the Hechelu of the back and amitriptyline, and the control group treated with amitriptyline. Clinical therapeutic effects were assessed with McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and HAMD depression scale.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The therapeutic effect of the treatment group was better than that of the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Combination of acupuncture with cupping therapy is an effective therapy for fibromyalgia syndrome.</p>

Observation on therapeutic effect of warming needle moxibustion on knee osteoarthritis of deficiency-cold type / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare clinically therapeutic effects of warming needle moxibustion and simple acupuncture on knee osteoarthritis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twenty cases conformed with the diagnostic criteria of knee osteoarthritis with TCM kidney-yang deficiency and cold syndrome were randomly divided into a warming needle moxibustion group and a simple acupuncture group. Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Zusanli (ST 36) and others were selected in the two groups. Their therapeutic effects were assessed with joint pain scale, knee osteoarthritis severity index scale and cold syndrome differentiation factors.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Both warming needle moxibustion and simple acupuncture could alleviate pain of knee osteoarthritis, improve dysfunction of the knee joint, reduce symptoms. The clinically basic cured rate and the total effective rate were 32.1% and 96.4% in the warming needle moxibustion group, which were better than 7.4% and 92.6% in the simple acupuncture group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Warming needle moxibustion is an effective therapy for knee osteoarthritis with kidney-yang deficiency and cold type.</p>