[Anti-apoptotic Mechanism of Deep Electroacupuncture at "Huantiao" (GB 30) in Repair of the Injured Sciatic Nerve in Rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of deep electroacupuncture (EA) at "Huantiao" (GB 30) on functional and pathological changes of the damaged sciatic nerve and apoptosis-related factors in lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) in rats, so as to study its mechanisms underlying relieving sciatica. METHODS: Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into normal, mo-del, deep EA (DEA) and shallow EA (SEA) groups (n＝12 in each group)．The sciatic nerve injury model was established by silicone tube extrusion of the sciatic nerve stem. For DEA group, acupuncture needles were inserted into GB 30 about 8 mm deep to induce nerve impulse under the guidance of high-frequency ultrasound, and the needles were inserted into GB 30 about 3-5 mm in the SEA group. The EA treatment was applied to bilateral GB 30 for 20 min beginning from the 15th day on after modeling, once daily for 14 days. The sciatic nerve function index (SFI) and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) were recorded and calculated. Pathological changes of the sciatic nerve were displayed by H. E. staining. The cell apoptosis and expression of PI 3 K and AKT proteins in lumbar 4-5 DRGs were detected by TUNEL staining, and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS: In comparison with the normal group, the SFI and MNCV were significantly decreased (P<0.01，P<0.05), the number of neuronal apoptosis and the expression of PI 3 K and AKT in L 4-L 5 DRGs were significantly increased in the model group (P<0.05). Following the treatment, the SFI, MNCV, and the number of neuronal apoptosis were reversed compared with the model group (P<0.01, P<0.05), both PI 3 K and AKT expression levels were significantly up-regulated in both DEA and SEA groups (P<0.05). The therapeutic effects were significantly better in the DEA group than in the SEA group in down-regulating cell apoptosis number and in up-regulating SFI, MNCV, and PI 3 K and AKT protein expression on day 28 of modeling (P<0.01，P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Deep EA at GB 30 can activate PI 3 K-AKT signaling pathway, inhibit the apoptosis of nerve cells in DRGs after sciatic nerve injury in rats, which may contribute to its effect in improving neurological impairment.

Moxibustion regulates inflammatory mediators and colonic mucosal barrier in ulcerative colitis rats.

AIM: To observe the efficacy and mechanism of grain-sized moxibustion at different acupoints in a rat model of ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, UC model, grain-sized moxibustion at a single acupoint (CV 12), grain-sized moxibustion at two acupoints (CV 12 and CV 4), grain-sized moxibustion at three acupoints (CV 12, CV 4, and ST 36), and medication groups (n = 8/group). The UC model was established by enema of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. Direct moxibustion was used once a day for 7 d. Disease activity index (DAI) was evaluated before and after the treatment. Morphologic changes of intestinal tissue were observed under an optical microscope. The expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) in colonic tissue was detected using Western blot, and the levels of occludin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) mRNAs were detected using reverse transcription PCR. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the intestinal mucosae were incomplete in the model group, glandular structures were irregular, and submucosae were edematous, hyperemic, and infiltrated with inflammatory cells. The DAI scores and expression of TNF-α and p38MAPK were increased significantly in the model group compared to controls (Ps < 0.01), while the mRNA levels of occludin and ZO-1 were reduced significantly (Ps < 0.01). Compared with the model group, colonic mucosa and the arrangement of glands were complete and regular in the treatment groups. DAI scores and the expression of TNF-α and p38MAPK were reduced significantly in moxibustion groups compared to controls (Ps < 0.01), while the mRNA levels of occludin and ZO-1 were increased significantly (Ps < 0.01). The improvements in the above indices in the three acupoints group and the medication group were superior to those in the single and two acupoints groups (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Reduction of TNF-α and p38MAPK and increased expression of occludin and ZO-1 in colonic tissue represent a potential mechanism for improved intestinal mucosal tissue repair with grain-sized moxibustion.

[Effect of Electroacupuncture Stimulation of Different Tissues at "Huantiao" (GB 30) Acupoint on Expression of Phosphorylated JNK and c-jun in Spinal Cord of Rats with Sciatic Nerve Injury].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of different tissues (nerve stem, muscular layer) at "Huantiao" (GB 30) acupoint on expression of hosphorylated c-jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK) and c-jun (p-c-jun) proteins in the lumbar spinal cord in rats with sciatic nerve injury, so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of peripheral neuropathic damage. METHODS: Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into normal, model (the left sciatic nerve severed), GB 30 deep needling (the acupuncture needle tip was inserted to the sciatic nerve trunk to elicit an instantaneous jerk of the hind limb) and GB 30 shallow needling (the needle tip was inserted to the muscle layer to evoke a local muscular contraction) groups (n = 12 rats in each group). EA stimuli were delivered at 2 Hz/100 Hz, 1 mA, 20 min in duration per treatment for 10 consecutive days. Histopathological changes were observed by Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemical assay was carried out to examine the pathological change of spinal segments (L4-L5) and the expression of p-JNK and p-c-jun proteins, respectively. RESULTS: For rats with the sciatic nerve severed, the spinal neurons became swelling, degeneration or even apoptosis. Acupuncture intervention reduced the number of apoptosic neurons and improved the pathological change, which was relatively better in the.deep needling group than in the shallow needling group. Likewise, the elevated spinal p-JNK and p-c-jun expression levels of the model group were significantly reduced by EA intervention (deep needling vs shallow needling, P < 0.01. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can improve the spinal pathological changes in rats with sciatic nerve injury, which is probably achieved by decreasing the p-JNK and p-c-jun expression and inhibiting the JNK signaling pathway, and thereby, reducing the apoptosis of the spinal neurons. Deep needling results in greater benefits than shallow needling.