[Effect of electroacupuncture on hypothalamic leptin and leptin receptor mRNA expression in rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on leptin and leptin receptor(Ob-rb) mRNA expression in the hypothalamus of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rats, so as to reveal its underlying mechanism in the treatment of NAFLD inflammation.

METHODS

Thirty-two male SD rats were randomly divided into control group (n = 10), model group (n = 11) and EA group (n = 11). NAFLD model was established by feeding the animals with high fat diet for 8 weeks. EA (10 Hz, 1.5 V, 30 min) was applied to unilateral "Fenglong" (ST 40) and "Zusanli" (ST 36), once daily for 4 weeks. After the treatment, all the rats were sacrificed for collecting the liver to make pathological observation after HE staining and for taking the hypothalamus tissue out to detect the leptin mRNA and leptin receptor (Ob-rb) mRNA expression by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Serum total cholesterol (TC) and triglyeride (TG) contents were detected by chromatometry.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, serum TC and TG levels increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.05). While compared with model group, both TC and TG levels in EA group were reduced considerably (P < 0.05). In comparison with control group, the expression of hypothalamic leptin mRNA and Ob-rb mRNA was down-regulated remarkably (P < 0.05), while 4 weeks after EA treatment, both leptin mRNA expression and Ob-rb mRNA expression were up-regulated obviously (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

EA can lower serum TG and TC contents in NAFLD rats, which is closely related to its effects in up-regulating the expression of hypothalamic leptin mRNA and Ob-rb mRNA.