Protective effect of electroacupuncture at the Neiguan point in a rabbit model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate possible cardioprotective mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) at the Neiguan point and at the Lieque point in the presence of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI).


METHODS
The changes in ventricular tissue Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity were examined, as well as beta-endorphin (beta-EP) con-tent in a rabbit model of MIRI. Four randomized groups were studied: sham, untreated MIRI, MIRI followed by EA at the Neiguan point, and MIRI followed by EA at the Lieque point. The MIRI model involved ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery for 30 min followed by a 60 min postischemia reperfusion period.


RESULTS
EA at the Neiguan point dramatically decreased the number of apoptotic cells and the content of beta-EP and MDA, and inhibited Bax protein expression while enhancing Bcl-2 expression and GSH-PX activity. Furthermore, EA enhanced Bcl-2 expression and GSH-PX activity. Lesser effects were elicited by EA at the Lieque point.


CONCLUSIONS
The cardioprotective effects of applying EA at the Neiguan point on MIRI include reducing apoptosis, regulating apoptosis- controlling genes, and decreasing myocardial MDA and beta-EP while enhancing GSH-PX activity.
Zhang
Hongxing
H
Wuhan Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, Wuhan, China.
Liu
Lingguang
L
Huang
Guofu
G
Zhou
Li
L
Wu
Wenli
W
Zhang
Tangfa
T
Huang
Hao
H
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000032:analysis; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000032:analysis; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000032:analysis
D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase