| Objective In this study, Zucker diabetic fatty(ZDF) rats were selected and administered with “the combination of biao-ben acupoints” electroacupuncture.The therapeutic action of EA on ZDF rats, as well as the effects on mitochondrial structure of quadriceps femoris, SIRT1 expression and oxidative stress related product were observed, which attempts to elucidate that electroacupuncuture improves insulin resistance(IR) in ZDF rats via the effect on mitochondrial structure of quadriceps femoris and oxidative stress.Method Male, twelve ZDF rats(fa/fa), seven-week-old, were randomly divided into three groups: four in electroacupuncture treatment group(EA group), four in non-electroacupunctre stimulation group(NE group) and model control group(MC group). Another four zucker lean(ZL) rats, their lean normoglycemic littermates, were selected as normal control group(NC group).Treatment in EA group followed the method of “the combination of biao-ben acupoints”, selected “Ben” acupoints as “Guanyuan(CV4)” and bilateral “Zusanli(ST36)”, “Biao” acupoints as “Zhongwan” and bilateral “Fenglong(ST40)”. Needle at CV4 was inserted obliquely towards the xiphisternum at about 3mm and towards the symphysis pubis at CV12. Needles at ST36 and ST40 inserted perpendicularly at abour 3mm.Needles at ST36 and ST40 on one side for the first day, and on the other side for the following day. CV4 and CV12 were linked with two electrodes of an electrostimulator, while ST36 and ST40 were linked with the other two electrodes. Stimulation parameters were set at successive pulse frequency of 2 Hz and amplitude of 1m A.SE group received the same acupoints needling, but without electricity stimulation. These two groups received three treatments weekly, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, ten minutes for each time.After three weeks of treatment, the follolwing detections were conducted: ? biochemical indexes: fasting blood glucose(FBG) and postprandial blood glucose(PBG) ? morphological assay: transmission electron microscope was applied to observe the structure, form and quantity of the mitochondria in quariceps femoris. ? protein assay: protein expression of SIRT1 was measured with western blotting.? oxidative stress related indexes: spectrophotometer colorimetry was used to detect the activity of SOD and the contents of MDA and ROS.Result 1. After treatment, compared with NC group, body mass, fastingblood sugar and postprandial blood glucose in MC group were higher. However, compared with MC group, those in EA group were obviously decreased(P?0.05).2. Compared with NC group, the quantity of mitochondria in MC group was decresed with different form and incomplete structure. After three-week treatment, compared with MC group,mitochondiral structure in EA group was relatively complete with no swell or deformation, and the quantity was increased(P<0.05).3. Compared with NC group, SIRT1 expression in MC group was lower than that in NC group(P<0.05). After treatment, SIRT1 expression in EA group was increased compared with MC group(P<0.05).4. Compared with NC group, the activity of SOD was decreasd, while the contents of MDA and ROS were increased in MC group(P<0.05).After treatment, compared with MC group, the activity of SOD was significantly increased in EA group, along with the contents of MDA and ROS were decreased(P<0.05).5. After three-week treatment, compared with MC group, the food intake, PBG and SIRT1 expression were improved by NE(P<0.05), but no obvious effects on food intake, mitoc- honrial structure and oxidative stress related indexes were observed(P>0.05).Conclusion 1. Three weeks of the combination of biao-ben acupoints” electroacupuncture treatment can control body weight of ZDF rats, and reduce FBG and PBG.2. “The combination of biao-ben acupoints” electroacupuncture induces recovery and fusion of the impaired mitochondrial structure, stimulates the expression of SIRT1, reduces oxidative stress, enhances the activity of SOD, eliminates oxygen-free radicals, decreases the production of MDA and protects organisms from the damage of oxygen-free radicals, which may alleviate and control IR.3. The effects of non-electroacupuncture treatment on food and water intake, blood glucose, body mass, mitochondria, oxidative stress and SIRT1 expression were not obvious. |
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