title: Effects of acupuncture on glycometabolic enzymes in multi-infarct dementia rats.
abstract: Acupuncture has exhibited therapeutic effects on vascular dementia in our previous research. The mechanism of its anti-dementia effects involves energy metabolism. For brain cells, glucose metabolism is almost the only source of energy, and glucose metabolism disorders are early signs of dementia. In addition, glucose metabolism associates closely with glycometabolic enzymes, thereby maintains normal energy supply in brains and neurological and mental activities. In order to investigate its anti-dementia mechanism, we studied the effects of acupuncture on behavior of multi-infarct dementia (MID) rats and glycometabolic enzymes protein expression and activities in their brains. Results showed acupuncture improved the cognitive disorder, and increased the activities of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, and glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase. Accordingly, it suggests that the anti-dementia effects of acupuncture may be mediated by up regulation of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, and glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase activities, influencing energy metabolic system and thus overcoming the dysfunctional cognition of MID.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Laboratory, Acupuncture and Moxibustion Research Institute, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 300193 Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yingying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Xuezhu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Bohong
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.forename: Guomin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jianchun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jingxian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015161:Dementia, Multi-Infarct / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006593:Hexokinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D011770:Pyruvate Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; D006593:Hexokinase; D011770:Pyruvate Kinase