Electroacupuncture (EA) Speeds Up the Regulation of Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis Dysfunction in Acute Surgical Trauma Rats: Mediated by Hypothalamic Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)_AReceptors

Hypothalamic Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) directly activates the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (HPA axis) during the surgical trauma induced stress response. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been demonstrated to have stress relieving effects in breast surgery, colorectal surgery, prostatectomy and craniotomy. This study was aimed to investigate the hypothesis that EA could regulate hypothalamic CRF in surgical trauma rats. In experiment one, Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats were divided into intact, model (10% partial hepatectomy), sham EA and EA group. Rats from the Sham EA and EA group were stimulated at ST36-Zusanli and SP6-Sanyiniiao acupoints twice, 24 hours before the surgery and immediately after the surgery. Expressions of hypothalamic CRF and CRFR, GABA receptors, glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and Corticosterone (CORT) were observed at 2, 4, 8 and 24 h after the surgery by radioimmunoassay (RIA), western blot, real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. In the experiment two, SD male rats were divided into the intact, model, model + vehicle, model + L-838,417 EA and EA + L838,417 group. It was found that hypothalamus CRF, serum ACTH and CORT levels were increased in model group compared with the intact group, and those in the EA group decreased in comparison with the model group. Compared with the model group, hypothalamus-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor Aα3 mRNA and protein expressions of the EA group raised strikingly. In conclusion, EA alleviated surgical stress response by improving the GABA synthesis in hypothalamus, thus enhancing GABA receptors’ inhibitory regulation of the HPA axis dysfunction in rats with acute surgical trauma.

Effects of acupuncture on hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis:Current status and future perspectives

The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal(HPA) axis is a critical component of the neuroendocrine system,playing a central role in regulating the body's stress response and modulating various physiological processes. Dysregulation of HPA axis function disrupts the neuroendocrine equilibrium, resulting in impaired physiological functions. Acupuncture is recognized as a non-pharmacological type of therapy which has been confirmed to play an important role in modulating the HPA axis and thus favorably targets diseases with abnormal activation of the HPA axis. With numerous studies reporting the promising efficacy of acupuncture for neuroendocrine disorders, a comprehensive review in terms of the underlying molecular mechanism for acupuncture, especially in regulating the HPA axis, is currently in need. This review fills the need and summarizes recent breakthroughs, from the basic principles and the pathological changes of HPA axis dysfunction, to the molecular mechanisms by which acupuncture regulates the HPA axis. These mechanisms include the modulation of multiple neurotransmitters and their receptors, neuropeptides and their receptors, and microRNAs in the paraventricular nucleus,hippocampus, amygdala and pituitary gland, which alleviate the hyperfunctioning of the HPA axis.This review comprehensively summarizes the mechanism of acupuncture in regulating HPA axis dysfunction for the first time, providing new targets and prospects for further exploration of acupuncture.

Physical exercise reverses immuno-cold tumor microenvironment via inhibiting SQLE in non-small cell lung cancer

Dear Editor,Physical exercise has been shown to be associated with reduced cancer incidence and cancer-associated mortality[1,2],but the underlying mechanisms are obscure.Immunometabolic regulation has emerged as one of the most prominent mechanisms explaining the effects of exercise on cancer[1,2].Physical exercise primarily lowers blood cholesterol and triglycerides,and protects against cardiovascular diseases[3].However,whether physical exercise can modulate cholesterol metabolism in tumor cells is currently unknown.

RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS IN ACUPUNCTURE ANESTHESIA IN CHINA

Acupuncture ansethesia has been practised as a developing period indepth.In clinical research,open heart surgery using extracorporeal circulation,craniocere-bral surgery have been successful.Other complex in some critical cases under acupunctureanethesia have also succeeded.The research work on the effect of combination of drug withacupuncture on analgesic efficacy has been made great progress.In the mechanism of acupuncture anesthesia,advanced scientific techniques from neuro-biology and molecularbiology have been used to promote the research.Neurophysiologicaland neurochemical mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia have been investigated in depth.Research on mechanism has been closely integrated with clinical work for further improveing the efficacy acupuncture anesthesia.

Effects of Nourishing “Yin”-Removing “Fire” Chinese Herb Mixture on the Differential Expression of GABA_AReceptor <i>α</i>Subunits in Hypothalamus of Precocious Puberty Female Rats

GABAergic input to Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons is necessary to initiate the onset of puberty and its action mainly depends on GABAA receptor of which the subunit composition, properties and consequently function varies during this period. Nourishing “Yin”-Removing “Fire” Chinese herb mixture, a Chinese herb-based formulation, has been proved that it may retard the initiation of pubertal development in female precocious puberty rats. Our objective is to investigate the effects of Nourishing “Yin”-Removing “Fire” Chinese herb mixture on the expression of GABAA receptor α subunits in hypothalamus. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal (N), precocious puberty model (M) induced by danazol, model exposed to saline (MS) and model exposed to Chinese herb mixture (CHM) groups. All rats were administered by the Chinese herb mixture from P15 on. Coefficients of reproductive organs and serum gonadotropins and estradiol levels in M were significantly enhanced while they were significantly decreased in CHM. The hypothalamic GnRH mRNA was also significantly increased in M and in CHM, as well as ERα mRNA. At the mean time, the hypothalamic GABAA receptor α1 and α3 subunits mRNA were more significantly decreased in M than those of N, while they were more significantly enhanced in CHM than those in M (p 0.01), the protein expression of which in hypothalamus had the same trend as the mRNA expression. The evidence suggests that Nourishing “Yin”-Removing “Fire” Chinese herb mixture could significantly retard the sexual development of the precocious rats, and up-regulate the expressions of hypothalamic GABAA receptor α1 and α3 subunits. Our result indicated that GABAA receptor α1 and α3 subunits might involve in the effective treatment of herb mixture on idiopathic precocious puberty.

Effects of Nourishing “Yin”-Removing “Fire” Chinese Herb Mixture on the Expression of GABAB Receptors in Hypothalamus of Precocious Puberty Female Rats

Objectives: To investigate the potential role of GABAB Receptors (GABABRs) involved in the effect of Nourishing “Yin”-Removing “Fire” Chinese herb mixture (TCM) treatment on precocious puberty. Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal (N), central precocious puberty (CPP) model (M), CPP fed with normal saline (S) and CPP fed with Nourishing “Yin”-Removing “Fire” Chinese herb mixture (TCM). Rats of postnatal day 5 were given a single subcutaneous injection of 240 μg danazol to establish CPP model rats. Rats of S and TCM groups were continuously administered with saline or nourishing “Yin”-removing “Fire” Chinese herb mixture since postnatal day 15. The expression of GABABRs was detected by means of real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Results: The expression of hypothalamic GnRH mRNA in M was significantly increased on the day of pre-puberty when compared with that of N (P < 0.01). On the day of onset-puberty, LH levels were higher in M than those in N (P < 0.01), while the serum E2 and LH levels of TCM decreased when compared with those of M (P B1 receptor (GABABR1) immunoreactive cells in the arcuate nucleus (ARN) was decreased in M when compared with that of N (P < 0.05) and increased in TCM compared with that of M (P < 0.05);simultaneously, the expression of GABABR1 mRNA in hypothalamus was significantly decreased in M when compared with that of N (P < 0.01) and increased in TCM compared with that of M (P < 0.01). On the day of onset-puberty, the number of GABABR1 immunoreactive cells in medial septum (MS) was decreased in M compared with that in N (P < 0.05) and increased in TCM comparing with that of M (P < 0.05);meanwhile, the mRNA expression of GABABR1 in hypothalamus was decreased in M compared with that in N (P B2 receptor (GABABR2) immunoreactive cells in the ARN, MS and diagnonal band of broca (DBB) were decreased in M when compared with those of N (P < 0.05) and increased in TCM compared with those of M (P < 0.05) on the day of onset-puberty. At the same time, the mRNA expression of GABABR2 was significantly decreased in M compared with that of N (P < 0.01). Conclusions: These results indicated that the GABABRs might involve in the curative effect of Nourishing “Yin”-Removing “Fire” Chinese herbal mixture on CPP rats.

Peripheral Mechanism of Cancer-Induced Bone Pain

Cancer-induced bone pain(CIBP)is a type of ongoing or breakthrough pain caused by a primary bone tumor or bone metastasis.CIBP constitutes a specific pain state with distinct characteristics;however,it shares similarities with inflammatory and neuropathic pain.At present,although various therapies have been developed for this condition,complete relief from CIBP in patients with cancer is yet to be achieved.Hence,it is urgent to study the mechanism underlying CIBP to develop efficient analgesic drugs.Herein,we focused on the peripheral mechanism associated with the initiation of CIBP,which involves tissue injury in the bone and changes in the tumor microenvironment(TME)and dorsal root ganglion.The nerve–cancer and cancer–immunocyte cross-talk in the TME creates circumstances that promote tumor growth and metastasis,ultimately leading to CIBP.The peripheral mechanism of CIBP and current treatments as well as potential therapeutic targets are discussed in this review.

Research progress on the NLRP3 inflammasome and its role in the central nervous system

The NLRP3 inflammasome,which consists of the NLRP3（nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain（Nod）–like receptor 3） scaffold,the ASC（apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD） adaptor and procaspase-1,is assembled after the cytoplasmic LRRs（leucine-rich repeats） of NLRP3 sense pathogens or danger signals.The NLRP3 inflammasome controls the activation of the proteolytic enzyme caspase-1.Caspase-1 in turn regulates the maturation of the proinflammasome cytokines IL-1β and IL-18,which leads to an inflammatory response.The inflammasome plays an important role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease and bacterial meningitis,and the NLRP3 inflammasome may become a new target for the prevention and treatment of central nervous system diseases.

Acupuncture Anesthesia in China:Retrospect and Prospect

Acupuncture treatment is a great creation of ancient physicians in China, and acupuncture analgesia is the most influential therapy. After the founding of the People＇s Republic of China in 1949, the acupuncture analgesia of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine has obtained great development.

Acupuncture Analgesia in Migraine

There is no curative treatment for migraine, although there does exist various options for pharmacological treatment.Drug treatment withβ-adrenoceptor blockers,calcium antagonists,or other agents has been shown to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks;however,the success of treatment is usually modest.Acupuncture has been increasingly used as adjunctive treatment in primary headache syndromes and there is growing evidences from clinical trials that it might be beneficial in the treatment of migraine,with an effect size comparable to pharmacologic treatment.Despite its popularity,there’s still some controversy as to the difference between the specific and the nonspecific effects of acupuncture.

Long-Term Androgen-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Mouse Model is Related to Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Objective:Metabolic disorders are markedly common in women with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS),and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is observed in 30%-55%of all PCOS patients.Many studies have reported that autophagy and apoptosis,which are closely related to mitochondrial function,play important roles in the development of NAFLD.Therefore,in this study,we aimed to explore the role of mitochondrial dysfunction caused by liver apoptosis and autophagy imbalance in the development of NAFLD in a PCOS mouse model.Methods:We used a dihydrotestosterone(DHT)-induced PCOS model to mimic the pathological process of hyperandrogenism.Hematoxylin and eosin and Oil Red O staining assays were used to observe the pathological changes in the liver.Western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to perform mitochondrion-related assays.Results:Hepatic steatosis and different degrees of inflammation were observed in the DHT-treated mice.The expression of molecules involved in the respiratory chain and aerobic respiration process was altered.The levels of the key molecules associated with apoptosis and autophagy were abnormal.Conclusions:Androgens may play a role in the process of hepatic steatosis development by affecting mitochondrial function and subsequently inducing apoptosis and autophagy.Such phenomena might be involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD in women with PCOS.