[Observation on changes of the intragastric protein phosphorylation level involving electroacupuncture-induced improvement of the injured gastric mucosa in the rat].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of Stomach Meridian acupoints on changes o of the related protein phosphorylation in the gastric mucosa involving the repair of the injured gastric mucosa in the rat.


METHODS
A total of 20 SD rats were divided into control, model, acupoint and non-acupoint groups, with 5 cases in each. Gastric mucosa injury model was established by intragastric perfusion of dehydrated alcohol (0.8 ml/100 g). EA (4 Hz/50 Hz, 1-3 mA) was applied to "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Liangmen" (ST 21) and "Sibai" (ST 2), and the corresponding non-acupoints, once daily for 7 days. Gastric mucosal ulcer index (UI) was measured, and the profiling of the protein phosphorylation of interest in gastric mucosa cells was detected by antibody microarrays.


RESULTS
In comparison with control group, the gastric mucosal UI of model group was significantly higher than that of control group (P < 0.01), while the UI of EA group was significant lower than those of model group and non-acupoint group (P < 0.01), suggesting a recovery of the injured mucous membrane. Findings of protein array analysis indicated that a total of 720 kinds of phosphorylated proteins (> or = 1.5 folds) were found in the injured gastric mucosa. Compared to model group, the phosphorylation levels of 100 and 20 proteins were up-regulated, and 16 and 9 proteins down-regulated in acupoint and non-acupoint groups, respectively. The up-regulated proteins involve cell cycle mediation, cell proliferation, anti-apoptosis, and the regulation of the cell adhesion, cytoskeleton protein, inflammation, immune activities, etc. while the down-regulated proteins involve the down-regulation of the phosphorylation levels of the apoptosis proteins, adhesion proteins and cytoskeleton proteins, etc. In comparison to non-acupoint group, the phosphorylation levels of 100 proteins were up-regulated and 16 proteins down-regulated in acupoint group.


CONCLUSIONS
EA of acupoints of the Stomach Meridian can promote repair of the injured gastric mucosa, which may be related to its effects in regulating the levels of phosphorylation of many signaling proteins.
Tian
Hao-mei
HM
Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410007, China.
Yan
Jie
J
Yi
Shou-xiang
SX
Zhang
Ying-jin
YJ
Wen
Yao
Y
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*
D011506:Proteins