Effect Of Linggui-bafa Acupuncture On Testosterone Synthesis And Secretion In Aging Rats

Objective: To observe the effect of linggui-bafa acupuncture on testosterone secretion and synthesis in male aging model rats,and to explore the mechanism of delaying testicular aging.Methods: 53 SPF male SD rats were randomly selected 10 as blank group,and the rest rats were intraperitoneally injected with D-galactose solution(500mg/kg)to create subacute aging rat models for 42 days.The 40 rats were randomly divided into model group,linggui-bafa method group,Vitamin E group and false acupoint group,with 10 rats in each group.Except blank group and model group,the other three groups were treated with linggui-bafa acupuncture,false point acupuncture and oral vitamin E intervention,respectively,for consecutive 28 days.The contents of superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),the concentration of testosterone(T),the contents of acute regulatory protein(StAR)and transporter protein(TSPO)in serum of male rats were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The mRNA expression levels of steroid synthesis acute regulator protein(StAR)and transporter protein(TSPO)in testicular tissue were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.The pathological changes of testicular tissue and the number of Leydig cells were observed by HE staining.Results:(1)Compared with blank group,the contents of T,SOD,TSPO and StAR in serum of model group were significantly decreased(P < 0.01),the content of MDA was significantly increased(P < 0.01),and the expression levels of TSPO and StAR mrna in testicular tissue were decreased(P < 0.01).(2)Compared with model group,the serum MDA content in linggui-bafa group,Vitamin E group and sham acupoint group was significantly decreased(P < 0.01);the contents of T,SOD,TSPO and StAR in serum and the relative expression levels of TSPO and StAR mRNA in testicular tissue of rats were significantly increased(P <0.01).In false acupoint group,the contents of T and StAR in serum and the mRNA relative expressions of TSPO and StAR in testicular tissue were not significantly increased(P > 0.05),the content of TSPO in serum was slightly increased(P < 0.05),and the content of SOD was significantly increased(P < 0.01).(3)Compared with vitamin E group,the contents of SOD and MDA in serum and the expression level of TSPO mRNA in testicular tissue in linggui-bafa group were increased significantly(P < 0.05),and the contents of T,TSPO and StAR in serum were significantly increased(P< 0.01).There was no significant difference in the expression level of StAR mRNA in testicular tissue(P > 0.05).(4)Compared with false acupoint group,serum T concentration and TSPO mRNA expression level in testicular tissue in linggui-bafa group were significantly increased(P < 0.01);SOD,MDA and TSPO contents in serum and StAR mRNA expression level in testicular tissue were slightly increased(P < 0.05).(5)Compared with the model group,the testicular tissue morphology and the number of interstitial cells in linggui-bafa method group and Vitamin E group were well recovered(P < 0.01),while the false acupoint group was on the contrary.Conclusions: Linggui-bafa acupuncture can increase the content of TSPO and StAR,increase the synthesis and secretion of testosterone,and delay testicular senescence,which may be related to its ability of improving the microenvironment in testicular tissue and restore the damaged interstitial cells through antioxidant effect.