2022, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (35): 5614-5619

Mechanism of electroacupuncture at Zusanli against myocardial injury in rats with sepsis

Geng Huan1, Luo Zhendong2, Sun Fangyuan1, Meng Jialei1, Ma Yuhui1, Lei Ming1   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Previous studies have found that acupuncture at Zusanli can reduce the degree of myocardial injury in septic rats, but there are few studies on the mechanism.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture at Zusanli on myocardial injury in septic rats and its possible mechanism.
METHODS: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, Zusanli group, and non-acupoint group, with 12 rats in each group. The cecal ligation and perforation was used to construct an animal model of myocardial injury in septic rats. In the control group, only the free cecum was exposed without the cecal perforation and ligation. Three hours after modeling, the rats in the electroacupuncture group and the non-acupoint group were treated with electroacupuncture, dilatation waves, 10 Hz, once for 15 minutes, for 3 consecutive treatments. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, TUNEL staining, and ELISA were used to detect myocardial injury conditions and inflammatory factor levels. Western blot was used to detect the expression of Bax, p65, Bcl-2, and IκBα proteins.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the control group, both the model and non-acupoint groups showed myocardial fibrous tissue disorder and significantly increased apoptosis rate of myocardial cells (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the electroacupuncture group showed relatively regular cell arrangement and decreased apoptosis rate (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, serum inflammatory factors interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 and myocardial injury markers creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB and cardiac troponin I levels were significantly increased in the model and non-acupoint groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, serum inflammatory factors interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 and myocardial injury markers creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB and cardiac troponin I levels were significantly reduced in the electroacupuncture group (P < 0.05) but had no significant changes in the non-acupoint group (P > 0.05). Compared with the control group, the protein expressions of Bax, p65, and IκBα were significantly up-regulated, and the expression of Bcl-2 protein was significantly down-regulated (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the protein expressions of Bax, p65, and IκBα were significantly down-regulated and the expression of Bcl-2 protein was significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05). To conclude, electroacupuncture at Zusanli can alleviate myocardial injury in septic rats, and its regulatory mechanism may be related to reducing inflammation and regulating the changes in nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway-related protein levels.
Key words: sepsis, electroacupuncture, myocardial injury, inflammatory reaction, creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB, cardiac troponin I, rat