Kong De-Song, Ma Jin, Lu Yin, Ni Guang-Xia, Ni Chun-Yan, Zhang Xue-Jiao, Wang Ai-Yun, Chen Wen-Xing, Zheng Shi-Zhong
College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China.
Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2012 Apr;37(2):87-92.
To observe the effect of acupuncture stimulation of "Taichong" (LR 3), "Qimen" (LR 14), etc. on hepatic platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signal pathway activity at the protein and mRNA levels in hepatic fibrosis rats.
Forty-six SD rats were randomly divided into control (10 rats), model (12 rats), acupuncture (12 rats) and non-acupoint (12 rats) groups. Hepatic fibrosis model was established by intraperitoneal injection of mixture solution of 50% CCl4 and olive oil [1:1, 3 times on the 1st week (W), twice/W thereafter for 5 more weeks]. During modeling, acupuncture stimulation of "Taichong" (LR 3), "Qimen" (LR 14), "Ganshu" (BL 18) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) was conducted simultaneously. At the end of the experiments, all the rats were sacrificed for collecting their liver and blood samples, followed by separation of the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). ELISA, Western blot and Real-time quantitative PCR techniques were used to detect the content of serum PDGF and expression levels of PDGF-beta receptor (PDGF-beta R), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and P 38 genes and proteins of HSCs, respectively.
Compared to the control group, serum PDGF content, and expression levels of PDGF-beta R mRNA and protein, ERK mRNA and protein and P 38 protein of HSCs in the model group were upregulated significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). In comparison with the model group, serum PDGF content, and the expression levels of PDGF-beta R mRNA and protein, ERK mRNA and protein of HSCs in the acupuncture group were down-regulated apparently (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). No significant differences were found between the acupuncture and non-acupoint groups in serum PDGF content and between the model group and non-acupoint group in the expression levels of PDGF-beta R mRNA and protein, ERK mRNA and protein, JNK protein and P 38 protein of HSCs, as well as between the model group and acupuncture group in the expression levels of JNK protein and P 38 protein of HSCs (P > 0.05).
Acupuncture intervention can effectively down-regulate serum PDGF content, and expression levels of PDGF-beta R mRNA and protein, ERK mRNA and protein of HSCs in liver fibrosis rats, which may contribute to its effect in improving liver fibrosis through down-regulating PDGF signal pathway activity.
观察针刺“太冲”（LR 3）、“期门”（LR 14）等穴位对肝纤维化大鼠肝脏血小板衍生生长因子（PDGF）信号通路蛋白及mRNA水平活性的影响。
46只SD大鼠随机分为对照组（10只）、模型组（12只）、针刺组（12只）和非穴位组（12只）。采用腹腔注射50%四氯化碳与橄榄油混合溶液（1:1）建立肝纤维化模型[第1周（W）注射3次，此后每周注射2次，共5周]。造模期间，同时针刺“太冲”（LR 3）、“期门”（LR 14）、“肝俞”（BL 18）和“足三里”（ST 36）。实验结束时，处死所有大鼠，采集肝脏和血液样本，随后分离肝星状细胞（HSCs）。分别采用ELISA、Western blot和实时定量PCR技术检测血清PDGF含量以及HSCs中PDGF-β受体（PDGF-βR）、细胞外信号调节激酶（ERK1/2）、c-jun氨基末端激酶（JNK）和P 38基因及蛋白的表达水平。
与对照组相比，模型组血清PDGF含量、HSCs中PDGF-βR mRNA和蛋白、ERK mRNA和蛋白以及P 38蛋白表达水平显著上调（P < 0.01，P < 0.05）。与模型组相比，针刺组血清PDGF含量、HSCs中PDGF-βR mRNA和蛋白、ERK mRNA和蛋白明显下调（P < 0.05，P < 0.01）。针刺组与非穴位组血清PDGF含量，模型组与非穴位组HSCs中PDGF-βR mRNA和蛋白、ERK mRNA和蛋白、JNK蛋白及P 38蛋白表达水平，模型组与针刺组HSCs中JNK蛋白及P 38蛋白表达水平比较，差异均无统计学意义（P > 0.05）。
针刺干预可有效下调肝纤维化大鼠血清PDGF含量、HSCs中PDGF-βR mRNA和蛋白、ERK mRNA和蛋白表达水平，这可能是其通过下调PDGF信号通路活性改善肝纤维化的作用机制。
