title: [Effect of electroacupuncture on spleen lymphocyte apoptosis-related gene expression in aging rats with yang deficiency].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe effects of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Guanyuan" (GV 4)-"Housanli" (ST 36)-"Baihui" (GV 20,"Shuanggu Yitong" acupoint prescription) on the expression of splenic lymphocyte apoptosis-related genes Fas, Bax, and Bcl-2 in aging rats with yang defiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty Sprague-Dawley aged female rats were randomly and e-ic qually divided into normal control, yang deficiency model (model) and EA groups. The yang deficiency model was established by subcutaneous injection of D-galactose (125 mg/kg) and hydrocortisone(1.5 mg/100 g). EA (2 Hz, 1 mA) was applied to "Guanyuan"(GV 4), "Housanli" (ST 36) and "Baihui" (GV 20) for 15 min, once daily, 6 times per week for 4 weeks. The expression of pro-apoptotic genes Fas, Bax and anti-apoptosis gene Bcl-2 in the spleen tissues were detected by real-time quantitative RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the normal control group, splenic Fas mRNA and Bax mRNA expression levels were upregulated significantly, and Bcl-2 mRNA expression level was down-regulated considerably in the model group (P < 0. 01). After EA intervention, splenic Fas mRNA and Bax mRNA expression levels were down-regulated markedly, while Bcl-2 mRNA expression up-regulated remarkably in the EA group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA of acupoint prescription ["Guanyuan" (GV 4), "Housanli" (ST 36) and "Baihui" (GV 20)] can down-regulate spleen Fas mRNA and Bax mRNA expression, and up-regulate Bcl-2 mRNA expression in aging rats with yang deficiency, which may contribute to its effect in improving yang deficiency in clinic.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, China. Hwang.TCM@china.com
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hui-Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Jian-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Hong-Tu
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology*; D016711:Yang Deficiency / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins