Yu Jianqi, Wang Meng, Liu Junying, Zhang Xiaoming, Yang Shengbo
Department of Anatomy, Zunyi Medical College, Zunyi, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
Department of Digestive System, Central Hospital of Zhoukou City, Zhoukou, Henan, People's Republic of China.
Acupunct Med. 2017 Aug;35(4):268-275. doi: 10.1136/acupmed-2015-011005. Epub 2017 Jan 9.
To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on mRNA and protein expression of agrin, acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-ε and AChR-γ in a rat model of tibialis anterior muscle atrophy induced by sciatic nerve injection injury, and to examine the underlying mechanism of action.
Fifty-four adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: healthy control group (CON, n=6); sciatic nerve injury group (SNI, n=24), comprising rats euthanased at 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks, respectively, after penicillin injection-induced SNI (n=6 each); CON+EA group (n=12), comprising healthy rats euthanased at 4 and 6 weeks (after 2 and 4 weeks, respectively, of EA at GB30 and ST36); and SNI+EA group, comprising rats euthanased at 4 and 6 weeks (after 2 and 4 weeks, respectively, of EA). The sciatic nerve functional index (SFI), tibialis anterior muscle weight, muscle fibre cross-sectional area (CSA), and changes in agrin, AChR-ε, and AChR-γ expression levels were analysed.
Compared with the control group (CON), SNI rats showed decreased SFI. The weight of the tibialis anterior muscle and muscle fibre CSA decreased initially and recovered slightly over time. mRNA/protein expression of agrin and AChR-ε were downregulated and AChR-γ expression was detectable (vs zero expression in the CON/CON+EA groups). There were no significant differences in CON+EA versus CON groups. However, the SNI+EA group exhibited significant improvements compared with the untreated SNI group (p<0.05).
EA may alleviate tibialis anterior muscle atrophy induced by sciatic nerve injection injury by upregulating agrin and AChR-ε and downregulating AChR-γ.
探讨电针（EA）对坐骨神经注射损伤所致大鼠胫前肌萎缩模型中集聚蛋白、乙酰胆碱受体（AChR）-ε和AChR-γ的mRNA及蛋白表达的影响，并探究其潜在作用机制。
将54只成年Sprague-Dawley大鼠分为四组：健康对照组（CON，n = 6）；坐骨神经损伤组（SNI，n = 24），该组大鼠在青霉素注射诱导的SNI后分别于1、2、4和6周处死（每组n = 6）；CON + EA组（n = 12），由在4周和6周处死的健康大鼠组成（分别在GB30和ST36进行2周和4周的电针治疗后）；SNI + EA组，由在4周和6周处死的大鼠组成（分别进行2周和4周的电针治疗后）。分析坐骨神经功能指数（SFI）、胫前肌重量、肌纤维横截面积（CSA）以及集聚蛋白、AChR-ε和AChR-γ表达水平的变化。
与对照组（CON）相比，SNI大鼠的SFI降低。胫前肌重量和肌纤维CSA最初下降，随后随时间略有恢复。集聚蛋白和AChR-ε的mRNA/蛋白表达下调，AChR-γ表达可检测到（与CON/CON + EA组中的零表达相比）。CON + EA组与CON组之间无显著差异。然而，SNI + EA组与未治疗的SNI组相比有显著改善（p < 0.05）。
电针可能通过上调集聚蛋白和AChR-ε并下调AChR-γ来减轻坐骨神经注射损伤所致的胫前肌萎缩。
