title: [Effects of electroacupuncture at "Neiguan" (PC 6) on p38 MAPK signaling pathway in rats with cardiac hypertrophy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the mechanisms of electroacupuncture at "Neiguan" (PC 6) on p38 MAPK signaling pathway in rats with cardiac hypertrophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: a normal group, a model group, a model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group, a model plus electroacupuncture group, ten rats in each group. The model rats were established by subcutaneous injection 3 mg/(kg x d) of Isoprenaline Hydrochloride; model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group were injected 0.3 mg/(kg x d) of specific inhibitor SB 203580; model plus electroacupuncture group was treated by electroacupuncture at "Neiguan"(PC 6) with continuous-wave, 2 Hz and 1 mA for 20 minutes, once a day for 14 days. There was no treatment in other two groups. The contents of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in heart tissue were detected by radioimmunoassay and the p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK by western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with normal group, the contents of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK were significantly increased in model group (all P < 0.01). The contents of TNFalpha, IL-1beta, p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK were significantly decreased in model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group and model plus electroacupuncture group, compared with model group, all P < 0.05; compared with normal group, P < 0.05, P < 0.01; but no significant difference between model plus p38 MAPK inhibitor group and model plus electroacupuncture group (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electroacupuncture at "Neiguan" (PC 6) can prevent the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK of myocardial hypertrophy, and the mechanism maybe adjust p38 MAPK signaling pathway by inhibiting the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta.
authors.affiliation: College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of CM, Wuhan 430061, China. 119065124@qq.com
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ya-Qun
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Feng-Xia
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Hong-Tu
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Jian-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ze-Bin
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases