Effect of electroacupuncture on c-IAP1 mRNA and C-IAP2 mRNA in synovial tissues of rats with adjuvant arthritis

Objective: Td observe the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST 36), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Ashi points on adjuvant arthritis rats, and explore the mechanism of EA treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Sixty male rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a methotrexate group and an EA group, with 15 rats in each group. Rats in the normal group and the model group were routinely raised and did not receive treatment;rats in the methotrexate group received methotrexate at a dose of 0.35 mg/(kg bw), twice a week for 3 weeks;rats in the EA group received acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Ashi points, and the bilateral Zusanli (ST 36) and Ashi points were connected to EA apparatus, once a day for 3 weeks. The general status, the swelling degree of the toe, the arthritis index (Al) score, the pathological morphology of the ankle joint, and the mRNA expressions of cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein (c-lAP) 1 and C-IAP2 in joint synovial tissue cells of the rats in each group were observed. Results: The swelling degree of the toe, Al score and mRNA expressions of c-IAPl and C-IAP2 in the model group were significantly higher than those in the normal group (all P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the swelling degree of the toe, Al score and mRNA expressions of c-IAPl and C-IAP2 in the methotrexate group and the EA group improved (P<0.01 or P<0.05);the expressions of c-IAPl mRNA and C-IAP2 mRNA in rat synovial tissues in the EA group were significantly higher than those in the methotrexate group (P<0.01). Conclusion: EA alleviates joint swelling in rats with adjuvant arthritis. The mechanism may be related to suppress!ng mRNA expressions of c-IAPl and C-IAP2, thus to induce apoptosis of synoviocytes.

Effect of acupuncture on blood oxygen concentration in brain of rats with post-traumatic stress disorder based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture on blood oxygen concentration in the brain of rats with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), thus to reveal the mechanisms of acupuncture in intervening the brain function of PTSD rats. Methods: Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a grasping group, a paroxetine group and an acupuncture group, with 12 rats in each group. Except the blank group, rats in the other groups all received incarceration plus electric shock for 7 d to prepare the PTSD animal model. One hour before the stress model was established, rats in each group received the desig nated in tervention: rats in the blank group and the model group did not receive any intervention;rats in the grasping group received grasping and fixation;rats in the paroxetine group received paroxetine hydrochloride solution by intragastric administration;and rats in the acupuncture group received acupuncture. Six-day treatme nt was a course, with 2 courses of treatme nt con ducted for a total of 12 d. After the modeli ng, rats in each treatment group received intervention for 5 dz and the fNIRS system was used to collect and record the changes in the concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2), deoxygenated hemoglobin (d-Hb) and total hemoglobin (t-Hb) of the involved rat's brain regions, and also to assess the brain function. Results: Compared with the blank group, the con centrati on of HbO2 was significa ntly in creased, the concen trati on of d-Hb was significa ntly decreased, and the concen tration of t-Hb was sign ifica ntly in creased in the model group and the graspi ng group after the in tervention, and the differ en ces were statistically significant (all P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the concentrations of HbO2, d-Hb and t-Hb in the grasping group did not change significantly (all P>0.05). Compared with the grasping group, the concentration of HbC^was significantly decreased, the concentration of d-Hb was significantly in creased, and the concen trati on of t-Hb was sign ifica ntly decreased in the paroxeti ne group and the acup un cture group, and the differences were statistically sigrdficant (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the concentrations of HbO2, d-Hb and t-Hb between the paroxetine group and the acupuncture group (all P>0.05). Con elusion: Acup un cture can regulate the blood oxyge n conce ntrati on in the brain of PTSD model rats, which may be an important mechanism of acupuncture in intervening the brain function in PTSD rats.