针灸抗心肌缺血机制研究及其表观遗传调控机制研究探讨

Progress of Researches on Mechanisms of Acupuncture Therapy Underlying Improving Myocardial Ischemia and the Future Approach for In-depth Study on Its Mechanisms from Epigenetics

针灸改善心肌缺血具有多靶点、多层次、多通路特性。不管是心肌缺血的急性期、亚急性期,还是慢性期,针灸都具有一定的调节作用,但在各期针对的侧重点有所不同。本文基于各期的病理特点,主要从改善心脏血管功能、促进新生血管生成和心肌细胞保护等角度,对近年来的针灸抗心肌缺血研究成果进行综述。同时结合表观遗传学研究特点,即强调除DNA和RNA序列以外,还有许多调控机制能调控组织和细胞中基因的"开"和"关",并融合表观遗传调控直接影响心脏发育,在心肌缺血发生、发展过程中的作用,探讨将表观遗传调控引入针灸抗心肌缺血机制研究的可行性,以期为针灸作用机制研究提供新思路、新方向。

As an important content of alternative and complementary medicine, acupuncture therapy has been proved to be effective in relieving myocardial ischemia （MI）. Authors of the present paper review recent progress of researches on acupunc- ture therapy in resisting MI from I） improving cardiovascular function and promoting angiogenesis, and 2） protecting myocardial cells from further injury and reducing celluJar apoptosis at different pathological stages of MI, Moreover, the authors discuss the characteristics of epigenetic regulation in the process of MI and cardiac repair including the methylating of DNA, modification of histone, remodeling of the chromatin, and micro-RNA expression, mediating cellular apoptosis, regeneration of myocardial blood vessels, etc. The authors hold that future studies on the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture therapy in the prevention and treat- ment of MI from epigenetics may be a new approach and a new direction.