title: [Influence of electroacupuncture intervention on serum retinol binding protein 4 and liver function in nonalcoholic fatty liver rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the influence of electroacupuncture (EA) intervention on liver function and retinol binding protein 4 (RBP 4) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rats, so as to study its mechanisms underlying improving liver function.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 44 SD rats were randomly allocated to normal control, model, EA and non-acupoint groups, with 11 rats in each group. NAFLD model was established by feeding the rats with high glucose and high fat forage for 5 weeks. EA (2 Hz, 1.5 V, 15 min) was applied to unilateral "Fenglong" (ST 40), "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) and "Taichong" (LR 3), once daily for 4 weeks. Serum RBP 4 content was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC), and triglycerides (TG) contents were detected by chromatometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the normal control group, serum AST, ALT, TC, TG and RBP 4 contents in the model group were increased significantly (P<0. 01), while in comparison with the model group, the levels of the abovementioned 5 serum indexes were down-regulated considerably in the EA group (P < 0.05) rather than in the non-acupoint group (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA intervention can lower serum AST, ALT, TC, TG and RBP 4 contents in NAFLD rats, which may be responsible for its action in improving NAFLD in clinic.
authors: College of Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China. ggzll.hi@163.com
authors: Li-Li
authors: LL
authors: Zhu
authors: Zheng-Jiang
authors: ZJ
authors: Gou
authors: Zhi-Hua
authors: ZH
authors: Zeng
authors: Lian-Shi
authors: LS
authors: Zhuo
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma / Q000378:metabolism*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: C532035:Rbp4 protein, rat; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D000410:Alanine Transaminase