title: Modulated expression of genes associated with NO signal transduction contributes to the cholesterol-lowering effect of electro-acupuncture.
abstract: Electro-acupuncture (EA) at Fenglong acupoint (ST40) can lower the levels of serum cholesterol and triacylglycerols. To study the hepatic genes responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effect of EA, suppression subtractive hybridization combined with the switch mechanism at the 5'-end of RNA template cDNA synthesis and long-distance PCR were employed using hepatic tissues from hypercholesterolemia and EA-treated mice. 68 % of the identified genes are involved in metabolism, immune response, and signal transduction pathways. Real-time PCR and western blot indicate that EA at ST40 induces the expression of nNOS and Mt1, two genes involved in NO signal transduction. EA treatment for hypercholesterolemia thus involves the modulation of several biological pathways and provides a physiological link between NO signal transduction and the cholesterol-lowering effect of EA.
authors.affiliation: Center for Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064 Sichuan, China. ling.li1980@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guang-Hong
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Yi-Zheng
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D026881:Acupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002784:Cholesterol