Defects in autophagy-mediated clearance of α-synuclein may be one of the key factors leading to progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Moxibustion therapy for Parkinson’s disease has been ...Defects in autophagy-mediated clearance of α-synuclein may be one of the key factors leading to progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Moxibustion therapy for Parkinson’s disease has been shown to have a positive effect, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Based on this, we explored whether moxibustion could protect dopaminergic neurons by promoting autophagy mediated by mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）, with subsequent elimination of α-syn. A Parkinson’s disease model was induced in rats by subcutaneous injection of rotenone at the back of their necks, and they received moxibustion at Zusanli （ST36）, Guanyuan （CV4）and Fengfu （GV16）, for 10 minutes at every point, once per day, for 14 consecutive days. Model rats without any treatment were used as a sham control. Compared with the Parkinson’s disease group, the moxibustion group showed significantly greater tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity and expression of light chain 3-II protein in the substantia nigra, and their behavioral score, α-synuclein immunoreactivity,the expression of phosphorylated mTOR and phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 kinase （p-p70S6K） in the substantia nigra were significantly lower. These results suggest that moxibustion can promote the autophagic clearance of α-syn and improve behavioral performance in Parkinson’s disease model rats. The protective mechanism may be associated with suppression of the mTOR/p70S6K pathway.展开更多
Tobacco smoking is considered to be one of the main risk factors in the development of chronic pain.Long-term chronic exposure to nicotine and other forms of tobacco have been shown to be associated with an increased ...Tobacco smoking is considered to be one of the main risk factors in the development of chronic pain.Long-term chronic exposure to nicotine and other forms of tobacco have been shown to be associated with an increased incidence of pain.Studies have shown that acupuncture can help smokers to reduce their desire to smoke,reduce their withdrawal symptoms,and avoid a relapse after treatment.However,little has been reported about the effects of acupuncture on pain sensitivity caused by long-term smoking.Models of hyperalgesia were established in rats exposed to nicotine for 6 weeks.After 6 weeks of continuous nicotine exposure,electroacupuncture at bilateral acupoints Zusanli(ST36)and Taichong(LR3)was performed 20 minutes per day for 6 days at a continuous wave with a frequency of 2 Hz and a stimulus intensity of 1 m A.The results revealed that electroacupuncture treatment increased the mechanical response threshold of hind paw of nicotine-dependent rats with hyperalgesia and up-regulated the protein expression of pain-related factorsμ-opioid receptor,β-endorphin and glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 in the spinal cord and midbrain periaqueductal gray and the protein expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 in the spinal cord.These findings suggest that electroacupuncture treatment has positive analgesic effects on pain sensitivity caused by long-term chronic nicotine exposure.One possible mechanism for the improved analgesia is that electroacupuncture increases the expression of painrelated factors in the spinal cord and midbrain periaqueductal gray.This study was approved by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee(IACUC)of the University of Miami(#18-167)on December 12,2018.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81403456,81473788a grant from the Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion,No.HBPCIC-2016-003
文摘Defects in autophagy-mediated clearance of α-synuclein may be one of the key factors leading to progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Moxibustion therapy for Parkinson’s disease has been shown to have a positive effect, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Based on this, we explored whether moxibustion could protect dopaminergic neurons by promoting autophagy mediated by mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）, with subsequent elimination of α-syn. A Parkinson’s disease model was induced in rats by subcutaneous injection of rotenone at the back of their necks, and they received moxibustion at Zusanli （ST36）, Guanyuan （CV4）and Fengfu （GV16）, for 10 minutes at every point, once per day, for 14 consecutive days. Model rats without any treatment were used as a sham control. Compared with the Parkinson’s disease group, the moxibustion group showed significantly greater tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity and expression of light chain 3-II protein in the substantia nigra, and their behavioral score, α-synuclein immunoreactivity,the expression of phosphorylated mTOR and phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 kinase （p-p70S6K） in the substantia nigra were significantly lower. These results suggest that moxibustion can promote the autophagic clearance of α-syn and improve behavioral performance in Parkinson’s disease model rats. The protective mechanism may be associated with suppression of the mTOR/p70S6K pathway.
基金supported by a grant from Department of Anesthesiology,Perioperative Medicine and Pain Management,University of Miami Miller School of Medicine,USA。
文摘Tobacco smoking is considered to be one of the main risk factors in the development of chronic pain.Long-term chronic exposure to nicotine and other forms of tobacco have been shown to be associated with an increased incidence of pain.Studies have shown that acupuncture can help smokers to reduce their desire to smoke,reduce their withdrawal symptoms,and avoid a relapse after treatment.However,little has been reported about the effects of acupuncture on pain sensitivity caused by long-term smoking.Models of hyperalgesia were established in rats exposed to nicotine for 6 weeks.After 6 weeks of continuous nicotine exposure,electroacupuncture at bilateral acupoints Zusanli(ST36)and Taichong(LR3)was performed 20 minutes per day for 6 days at a continuous wave with a frequency of 2 Hz and a stimulus intensity of 1 m A.The results revealed that electroacupuncture treatment increased the mechanical response threshold of hind paw of nicotine-dependent rats with hyperalgesia and up-regulated the protein expression of pain-related factorsμ-opioid receptor,β-endorphin and glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 in the spinal cord and midbrain periaqueductal gray and the protein expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 in the spinal cord.These findings suggest that electroacupuncture treatment has positive analgesic effects on pain sensitivity caused by long-term chronic nicotine exposure.One possible mechanism for the improved analgesia is that electroacupuncture increases the expression of painrelated factors in the spinal cord and midbrain periaqueductal gray.This study was approved by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee(IACUC)of the University of Miami(#18-167)on December 12,2018.
