Effect of eletroacupuncture with close-to-bone needling treatment on expression of Sox9, VEGF and ColX in impaired cartilage of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of eletroacupuncture with close-to-bone needling treatment on expression of Sox9, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and type X collagen (ColX) in impaired cartilage of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and explore its possible mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty New Zealand rabbits were randomized equally into normal control group, KOA model group, eletroacupuncture with close-to-bone needling group (CN group), and normal thrust needing group (NTN group). In the latter 3 groups, KOA was induced by Hulth-Telhag treatment and evaluated with X-ray examination, and 6 weeks after the modeling, eletroacupuncture for 20 min was administered in CN and NTN groups at the acupoints "Zusanli", "Waixiyan", "Neixiyan", "Liangqiu" and "Yinlingquan" in the left knee joints once daily for 5 days as a treatment cycle. After 5 treatment cycles, the rabbits were examined for behavioral changes, cartilage morphology, and Mankin scores; The protein and mRNA expressions of S0x9, VEGF, and ColX were examined using Westen blotting, immunohistochemistry, and RT-PCR as appropriate.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rabbits in the model, CN and NTN groups showed significant changes in behaviors and cartilage histomorphology after the modeling and after the treatments. HE staining showed that cartilage injury was repaired and tended to recovery in CN and NTN groups. The cartilage pathologies was severer in the model group than in the normal control, CN and NTN groups (P<0.01); Sox9 protein increased and VEGF mRNA level decreased in CN and NTN groups after treatment as compared with those in the model group (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Eletroacupuncture with close-to-bone needling can effectively improve KOA in rabbits probably by enhancing Sox9 and reducing VEGF and ColX expressions in the cartilage to inhibit hypertrophic differentiation of the chondrocytes, maintain chondrogenic phenotype and repair cartilage cells.</p>

Discuss on the mechanism of immune response to psychological stress of qi zhuma moxibustion therapy / 中国针灸

This paper discusses the mechanism of Qi Zhuma moxibustion therapy according to psychology and immunology. The acute psychological stress during the Qi Zhuma moxibustion operation was observed. The immune responses to acute psychological stress were investigated according to the theory of psychology and immunology. The possible psycho-immune mechanism of Qi Zhunmae moxibustion treatment was proposed: the acute psychological stress during Qi Zhurnma moxibustion treatment may stimulate immune system, and thus leads to the effectiveness of Qi Zhuma moxibustion. Ancient Chinese doctors applied psychology into acupuncture and moxibustion practice which need to be further explored in clinic acupuncture at modern time.

Detection of DNA damage of workers occupationally exposed to lead with flow cytometer assay / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study DNA damage of workers occupationally exposed to lead with flow cytometer assay.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The lymphocytes were obtained from 41 workers occupationally exposed to lead (comparable group) and another 50 from control group. Flow cytometer (FCM) assay was used to detect DNA damage.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>DNA damage rate and geometric mean fluorescence intensity in the comparable group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the DNA damage and geometric mean fluorescence intensity between different age groups (P>0.05). The differences in correlation analysis between blood lead, urine lead, delta-ALA and DNA damage rate were not significant (P>0.05). The correlation analysis showed no statistical significance between concentration of blood lead, urine lead, delta-ALA and geometric mean fluorescence intensity (P>0.05). There was positive correlations not only between the high concentration of blood lead, delta-ALA and damage rate of DNA, but also between the high concentration of blood lead and geometric mean fluorescence intensity. The coefficient r showed statistical significance (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Occupational lead exposure can cause DNA damage. Gamma H2AX flow cytometer assay is a sensitive, objective and effective method for detection of DNA damage of peripheral blood lymphocytes.</p>

DMF-induced adult hepatocyte apoptosis and its effects on expression of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of DMF on the human liver cells (HL-7702) in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Liver cells were exposed to different concentrations of DMF (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 mmol/L) for 12 hours. Apoptotic rate, the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in liver cells were measured by FCM and western blotting respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The increase in apoptotic rate of hepatocytes in concentration-manner was shown after DMF treatment for 12 h. After treatment the expression of Bcl-2 was decreased steadily and lower than the control group (P < 0.01), the expression of Bax showed no significant difference among the groups of different dosage by one-factor analysis of variance (P > 0.05), as the increase of the dosage of DMF. The ratio of Bcl-2/Bax dropped with the dosage of DMF increasing, and the ratio in 200 mmol/L of DMF was significantly lower than that of the control (P < 0.01). The new lands of procaspase-3 in 150, 200 mmol/L were observed, which demonstrated that there was active caspase-3.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DMF can induce apoptosis of cultured adult normal hepatocytes in vitro, and the mechanism might be related to the decrease of Bcl-2/Bax and the cleavage of Caspase-3.</p>

Effect of acupuncture at acupoints of the Shaoyang Meridian on cerebral glucose metabolism in the patient of chronic migraine / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe response characteristics of human brain to acupuncture of corresponding channel point selection and probe into the central nervous mechanism of acupuncture at the points selected along channel.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Six cases of chronic migraine were treated with acupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20), Waiguan (TE 5), Yang-lingquan (GB 34) on the Shaoyang Channel. Positron emission computerized tomography (PET-CT) was used for scanning and statistic parameter map (SPM 2) software was used to analyze the data and compare with healthy human brain function imaging and investigate the changes of metabolism of glucose in the brain of the patient of migraine before and after acupuncture.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After acupuncture, excitation areas of the pain brain regions such as the brain stem, insula, etc. obviously reduced, and the brain function-reducing area turned from the right temporal lobe as main to bilateral temporal lobes with symmetry.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The pons, insula, anterior frontal gyrus, etc. possibly are the target points of analgesic effect of acupuncture at the Shaoyang Channel on chronic migraine, and the change of metabolism reduction on bilateral temporal lobes induced by acupuncture possibly is one of the mechanisms for acu-puncture at points on the Shaoyang Channel for treatment of migraine. Acupuncture achieves whole and beneficial therapeutic effect possibly through coordination and redistribution of energy metabolism in the brain.</p>