Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China.
Mol Neurobiol. 2022 Jan;59(1):703-716. doi: 10.1007/s12035-021-02609-1. Epub 2021 Nov 10.
Electroacupuncture (EA) is considered to have potential antidiabetic effects; however, the role of the pancreatic intrinsic nervous system (PINS) in EA-induced amelioration of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated whether EA at ST25 exerts any beneficial effects on insulin resistance (IR), inflammation severity, and pancreatic β cell function via the PINS in a rat model of a high-fat diet-streptozotocin (HFD/STZ)-induced diabetes. To this end, Sprague Dawley rats were fed with HFD to induce IR, followed by STZ (35 mg/kg, i.p.) injection to establish the T2DM model. After hyperglycemia was confirmed as fasting glucose level > 16.7 mmol/L, the rats were treated with EA (2 mA, 2/15 Hz) for the next 28 days. Model rats showed increased serum glucose, insulin, IR, and TNF-α levels with a concomitant decrease in β cell function. Microscopy examination of the pancreas revealed pathological changes in islets, which reverted to near-normal levels after EA at ST25. EA improved islet cell morphology by increasing islet area and reducing vacuolation. EA at ST25 decreased transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and increased substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) expression. Subsequently, insulin secretion decreased and impaired pancreatic endocrine function was restored through the TRPV1 channel (SP/CGRP)-insulin circuit. EA increased choline acetyltransferase and neuropeptide Y expression and controlled inflammation. It also enhanced the cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript prepropeptide expression and promoted glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion. Additionally, the electrophysiological activity of PINS during acupuncture (2.71 ± 1.72 Hz) was significantly increased compared to the pre-acupuncture frequency (0.32 ± 0.37 Hz, P < 0.05). Thus, our study demonstrated the beneficial effect of EA on β cell dysfunction via the PINS in rat models of HFD-STZ-induced T2DM.
电针（EA）被认为具有潜在的抗糖尿病作用；然而，胰腺内在神经系统（PINS）在 EA 改善 2 型糖尿病（T2DM）中的作用尚不清楚。因此，我们研究了高脂饮食-链脲佐菌素（HFD/STZ）诱导的糖尿病大鼠模型中，ST25 处的 EA 是否通过 PINS 对胰岛素抵抗（IR）、炎症严重程度和胰岛β细胞功能产生任何有益影响。为此，给予 Sprague Dawley 大鼠高脂饮食以诱导 IR，然后腹腔注射 STZ（35mg/kg）建立 T2DM 模型。在确认空腹血糖水平>16.7mmol/L 为高血糖后，大鼠接受 EA（2mA，2/15Hz）治疗 28 天。模型大鼠表现出血清葡萄糖、胰岛素、IR 和 TNF-α 水平升高，β细胞功能下降。胰腺显微镜检查显示胰岛出现病理变化，经 ST25 处 EA 治疗后恢复接近正常水平。EA 通过增加胰岛面积和减少空泡化来改善胰岛细胞形态。ST25 处的 EA 降低了瞬时受体电位香草酸 1（TRPV1）的表达，增加了 P 物质（SP）和降钙素基因相关肽（CGRP）的表达。随后，通过 TRPV1 通道（SP/CGRP）-胰岛素回路，胰岛素分泌减少，受损的胰腺内分泌功能得以恢复。EA 增加了胆碱乙酰转移酶和神经肽 Y 的表达，并控制了炎症。它还增强了可卡因和安非他命调节转录物前肽的表达，促进了胰高血糖素样肽-1 的分泌。此外，与针刺前频率（0.32±0.37Hz，P<0.05）相比，针刺期间 PINS 的电生理活动（2.71±1.72Hz）明显增加。因此，我们的研究表明，在 HFD-STZ 诱导的 T2DM 大鼠模型中，EA 通过 PINS 对胰岛β细胞功能障碍具有有益作用。
