Ma Sheng-Xing
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA.
J Altern Complement Med. 2003 Apr;9(2):207-15. doi: 10.1089/10755530360623329.
The objectives of this study were to examine the distributions of nitric oxide (NO) in the skin points (acupoints)/meridian regions and determine whether neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) protein levels were associated with NO concentrations in the areas.
Low skin resistance points (LSRP) on the skin surface in response to electrical stimuli were performed in anesthetized adult rats. The skin together with subcutaneous tissue was isolated in meridian regions from PC 2 to 6, BL 36 to 57, CV 3 to 22, and GV 2 to 14. Control skin tissues were obtained in the areas close to related meridians without containing LSRP. Concentrations of nitrite (NO(2)(-)), nitrate (NO(3)(-)), and total NO(2)(-) plus NO(3)(-) (NO(x)(-)) were quantified in the skin tissues, micropunches of brain nuclei, and blood vessels in a blinded fashion. Western blots were also conducted using polyclonal anti-nNOS and anti-endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) antibody in the skin tissues.
NO(x)(-) and NO(3)(-) concentrations were higher (45 +/- 8% and 43 +/- 7% in the CV, 47 +/- 7% and 51 +/- 9% in the BL, and 47 +/- 8% and 45 +/- 6% in the PC) than those in control regions (p < 0.05, n = 6). NO(x)(-) concentrations are 2- to 3-fold greater in skin tissues than those in brain regions and blood vessels (p < 0.05, n = 6-8). nNOS protein levels were consistently increased in the skin regions of BL, PC, and GV meridians compared with their controls (p < 0.05, n = 5-7) but endothelial NO synthase expression was not changed.
This is the first evidence showing that NO contents and nNOS expression are consistently higher in the skin acupoints/meridians associated with low electric resistance. The results suggest that enhanced NO in the acupoints/meridians is generated from multiple resources including neuronal NOergic system, and NO might be associated with acupoint/meridian functions including low electric resistance.
本研究的目的是检测一氧化氮（NO）在皮肤穴位/经络区域的分布，并确定神经元型一氧化氮合酶（nNOS）蛋白水平是否与这些区域的NO浓度相关。
在麻醉的成年大鼠身上进行皮肤表面对电刺激的低皮肤电阻点（LSRP）实验。从PC 2至6、BL 36至57、CV 3至22以及GV 2至14的经络区域分离皮肤及其皮下组织。在靠近相关经络但不含LSRP的区域获取对照皮肤组织。以盲法对皮肤组织、脑核微穿孔以及血管中的亚硝酸盐（NO₂⁻）、硝酸盐（NO₃⁻）以及总NO₂⁻加NO₃⁻（NOₓ⁻）浓度进行定量。还使用多克隆抗nNOS和抗内皮型一氧化氮合酶（eNOS）抗体对皮肤组织进行蛋白质免疫印迹分析。
CV区域的NOₓ⁻和NO₃⁻浓度（分别为45±8%和43±7%）、BL区域（分别为47±7%和51±9%）以及PC区域（分别为47±8%和45±6%）高于对照区域（p<0.05，n = 6）。皮肤组织中的NOₓ⁻浓度比脑区域和血管中的高2至3倍（p<0.05，n = 6 - 8）。与对照相比，BL、PC和GV经络的皮肤区域中nNOS蛋白水平持续升高（p<0.05，n = 5 - 7），但内皮型一氧化氮合酶表达未改变。
这是首个证据表明与低电阻相关的皮肤穴位/经络中NO含量和nNOS表达始终较高。结果表明穴位/经络中增强的NO由包括神经元NO能系统在内的多种来源产生，并且NO可能与穴位/经络功能包括低电阻相关。
Zotero 插件