Effects of acupuncture on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: Current status and future perspectives.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a critical component of the neuroendocrine system, playing a central role in regulating the body's stress response and modulating various physiological processes. Dysregulation of HPA axis function disrupts the neuroendocrine equilibrium, resulting in impaired physiological functions. Acupuncture is recognized as a non-pharmacological type of therapy which has been confirmed to play an important role in modulating the HPA axis and thus favorably targets diseases with abnormal activation of the HPA axis. With numerous studies reporting the promising efficacy of acupuncture for neuroendocrine disorders, a comprehensive review in terms of the underlying molecular mechanism for acupuncture, especially in regulating the HPA axis, is currently in need. This review fills the need and summarizes recent breakthroughs, from the basic principles and the pathological changes of HPA axis dysfunction, to the molecular mechanisms by which acupuncture regulates the HPA axis. These mechanisms include the modulation of multiple neurotransmitters and their receptors, neuropeptides and their receptors, and microRNAs in the paraventricular nucleus, hippocampus, amygdala and pituitary gland, which alleviate the hyperfunctioning of the HPA axis. This review comprehensively summarizes the mechanism of acupuncture in regulating HPA axis dysfunction for the first time, providing new targets and prospects for further exploration of acupuncture. Please cite this article as: Zheng JY, Zhu J, Wang Y, Tian ZZ. Effects of acupuncture on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: Current status and future perspectives. J Integr Med. 2024; Epub ahead of print.

Microplastics in remote coral reef environments of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea: Source, accumulation and potential risk.

Microplastics (MPs) are of great concern to coral health, particularly enhanced biotoxicity of small microplastics (< 100 µm) (SMPs). However, their fate and harm to remote coral reef ecosystems remain poorly elucidated. This work systematically investigated the distributions and features of MPs and SMPs in sediments from 13 islands/reefs of the Xisha Islands, the South China Sea for comprehensively deciphering their accumulation, sources and risk to coral reef ecosystems. The results show that both MPs (average, 682 items/kg) and SMPs (average, 375 items/kg) exhibit heterogeneous distributions, with accumulation within atolls and dispersion across fringing islands, which controlled by human activities and hydrodynamic conditions. Cluster analysis for the first time reveals a pronounced difference in their compositions between the southern and northern Xisha Islands and resultant distinct sources, i.e., MPs in the north part were leaked mainly from local domestic sewage and fishing waste, while in the south part were probably derived from industrial effluents from adjacent countries. Our ecological risk assessment suggests that the ecosystem within the Yongle Atoll is exposed to a high-risk of MPs pollution. The novel results and proposed framework facilitate to effectively manage and control MPs and accordingly preserve a fragile biosphere in remote coral reefs.

[Pathogenesis of Psoriatic Pruritus].

Pruritus is a common symptom of most primary skin diseases and some systemic diseases. Despite the high incidence of pruritus in patients with psoriasis,the specific pathogenesis is complex and unclear. The occurrence and development of skin pruritus in psoriasis patients involve the joint participation of nervous,immune,endocrine,and vascular systems.This article reviews the mediators related to the pathogenesis of pruritus in psoriasis,aiming to improve the understanding of itching symptoms and the treatment of pruritus.