Effects of acupuncture on morphology and apoptosis related gene expression of lacrimal gland in dry eye model rabbits / 眼科新进展

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of acupuncture on morphology and apoptosis related gene expression of lacrimal gland in dry eye model rabbit,and explore the possible mechanism of acupuncture on dry eye.Methods Eighteen healthy New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groupsblank group,model group,acupuncture group,6 rabbits in each group.Blank group did not accept any treatment.Model group and acupuncture group were treated with subcutaneous injections of scopolamine hydrobromide,4 times a day with the dose of 2.0 mg · kg-1,when the acupuncture group was also treated with acupuncture,once a day for fourteen days.Three groups were examined Schirmer Ⅰ test (S Ⅰt) at different stages,and morphological changes of lacrimal gland under light and electron microscope were observed.The immunohistochemical method was used to detect the protein levels of apoptosis related gene in lacrimal gland of all rabbits.Results Between the acupuncture group and model group,the S Ⅰt was significantly different on day 4,7,14 (all P ＜ 0.05).At the same time,compared with that before experiment,S Ⅰt had no significant difference on day 14 in acupuncture group (P ＞ 0.05).Optical and electron microscope showed the lacrimal gland epithelial cells of acupuncture group closely arranged with abundant cytoplasm,closed to that of the blank group.Meanwhile,the number of lacrimal epithelium cells with Bax,Fas and FasL positive expression was significantly less than that in the model group (all P ＜ 0.05).But when it compared with blank group,there was no significant difference of Bax/Bcl-2 and Fas/FasL positive expression in acupuncture group (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture can restrain the apoptosis and gland atrophy of lacrimal gland tissue of dry eye rabbit,and promote metabolism,thereby increase the tear secretion.