Wang Ya-Yuan, Liang Feng-Xia, Chen Li, Lu Wei, Zhou Yu-Dian, Huang Xiang-Xi, Yang Shu-Rui
College of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Orthopedics-traumatology, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, China.
Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2020 Nov 25;45(11):875-81. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.200023.
To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on gastrointestinal motility and expression of leptin(LEP) and cholecystokinin(CCK) in the small intestine in obese rats，so as to explore the mechanism of EA underlying improvement of obesity.
Male Wistar rats were randomized into 5 groups: normal control, obesity model, abdominal acupoints ［"Guanyuan" (CV4), "Zhongwan" (CV12) and bilateral "Tianshu" (ST25)］, lower-leg acupoints ［bilateral "Zusanli" (ST36) and bilateral "Fenglong" (ST40)］, and abdominal+ lower-leg acupoints (=10 rats in each group). The obesity model was established by feeding the animals with high-fat diet for 8 weeks. EA was applied to the abovementioned acupoints for 20 min every time, 3 times a week for 8 weeks. The food intake and body mass were recorded. The white adipose tissue around the testicles and in the abdominal region was weighed. The serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and non-esterified fatty acid(NEFA) were detected by using automatic biochemical analyzer. The gastric empty rate and intestinal propulsive rate were calculated. The contents of serum CCK and LEP were detected by using ELISA, and the expression levels of CCK and LEP proteins in the small intestine were detected by using Western blot.
Following modeling, the food intake, body mass, weight of white adipose around the testicles and abdomen, the gastric empty rate, and serum TC, TG, NEFA and LEP contents as well as intestinal LEP expression were significantly increased (<0.05, <0.01), while the intestinal propulsive rate, serum CCK content and intestinal CCK expression were evidently decreased (<0.01) in the model group relevant to the normal control group. After EA interventions and compared with the model group, the increased levels of food intake, body mass, white adipose weight, gastric empty rate, TC, TG, and LEP in serum and small intestine, and the decreased levels of intestinal propulsive rate, CCK in the serum and intestine were reversed in the abdominal acupoints, lower-leg acupoints and abdominal+lower-leg acupoints groups (<0.05, <0.01). No significant differences were found in the effects of the three EA groups in down-regulating food intake, body mass, white adipose weight, gastric empty rate, serum TC, TG and LEP levels (except NEFA) and in up-regulating intestinal propulsive rate and CCK level (>0.05).
EA stimulation of the abdominal and lower-leg acupoints or both can reduce body weight on obesity rats, which is associated with its functions in regulating intestinal motility, food intake, and secretion of LEP and CCK.
观察电针（EA）对肥胖大鼠胃肠动力及小肠中瘦素（LEP）和胆囊收缩素（CCK）表达的影响，以探讨EA改善肥胖的作用机制。
雄性Wistar大鼠随机分为5组：正常对照组、肥胖模型组、腹部穴位组［“关元”（CV4）、“中脘”（CV12）及双侧“天枢”（ST25）］、小腿穴位组［双侧“足三里”（ST36）和双侧“丰隆”（ST40）］、腹部+小腿穴位组（每组10只）。采用高脂饮食喂养8周建立肥胖模型。上述穴位每次给予EA刺激20分钟，每周3次，共8周。记录进食量和体质量。称量睾丸周围及腹部白色脂肪组织重量。采用自动生化分析仪检测血清总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）和非酯化脂肪酸（NEFA）。计算胃排空率和小肠推进率。采用ELISA法检测血清CCK和LEP含量，采用Western blot法检测小肠CCK和LEP蛋白表达水平。
造模后，与正常对照组比较，模型组大鼠进食量、体质量、睾丸周围及腹部白色脂肪重量、胃排空率、血清TC、TG、NEFA和LEP含量以及小肠LEP表达均显著升高（<0.05，<0.01），而小肠推进率、血清CCK含量和小肠CCK表达明显降低（<0.01）。EA干预后，与模型组比较，腹部穴位组、小腿穴位组和腹部+小腿穴位组大鼠进食量、体质量、白色脂肪重量、胃排空率、血清及小肠TC、TG和LEP升高水平以及小肠推进率、血清及小肠CCK降低水平均得到逆转（<0.05，<0.01）。三组EA组在下调进食量、体质量、白色脂肪重量、胃排空率、血清TC、TG和LEP水平（NEFA除外）及上调小肠推进率和CCK水平方面效果无显著差异（>0.05）。
电针刺激腹部和小腿穴位或二者联合可降低肥胖大鼠体质量，这与其调节胃肠动力、进食量及LEP和CCK分泌的作用有关。
