Electroacupuncture at GV16 and LR3 can improve Parkinson's disease behavioural changes. - GreenMedInfo Summary
[Effect of electroacupuncture of"Fengfu"(GV16) and"Taichong"(LR3) on EIF2α-ATF4-GRP78/Bip signaling in substantia nigra of rats with Parkinson's disease].
Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2019 Dec 25 ;44(12):873-7. PMID: 31867905
Jun Ma
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on expression of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (EIF2α), activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), glucose regulator protein-78 / immunoglobulin heavy-chain-binding protein (GRP78/Bip) in the substantia nigra (SN) in rats with Parkinson's disease (PD), so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of PD.
METHODS: Forty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into control, sham-operation, model and EA groups (=12 in each group). The PD model was established by 28-day consecutive subcutaneous injection of rotenone (1 mg/kg dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide and normal saline) at the back shoulder. EA (2 Hz, 1 mA) was applied to"Fengfu"(GV16) and"Taichong"(LR3) for 30 min, once daily for 2 weeks. The behavio-ral changes of rats in each group were measured and scored at 28day and 44day, respectively. The expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) andα-synuclein (α-syn) in the SN were observed by immunohistochemistry, and the expressions of EIF2α, ATF4 and GRP78/Bip were detected by Western blot.
RESULTS: Following modeling and compared with the control and sham-operation groups, the behavioral scores of rats in the model group were elevated (<0.01), which were significantly decreased by EA intervention (<0.01). The expression of TH decreased whereas theα-syn, EIF2α, ATF4 and GRP78/Bip increased in the rats of model group, and EA intervention reversed these changes (all<0.01).
CONCLUSION: EA at GV16 and LR3 can improve PD rats' behavioral changes, which is probably related with its effects in up-regulating the expression of TH in the SN and down-regulating the expression ofα-syn and EIF2α-ATF4-GRP78/Bip signaling.