title: Effect of ERK1/2 signaling pathway in electro-acupuncture mediated up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 in lungs of rabbits with endotoxic shock.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of electro-acupuncture (EA), a traditional clinical method, are widely accepted, but its mechanisms are not yet well defined. In this study, we investigated the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinases1/2 (ERK1/2) pathways on electro-acupuncture - mediated up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in rabbit lungs injured by LPS-induced endotoxic shock.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy rabbits were randomly divided into 7 groups: group C, group M, group D, group SEAM, group EAM, group EAMPD, and group PD98059. Male New England white rabbits were given EA treatment on both sides once a day on days 1-5, and then received LPS to replicate the experimental model of injured lung induced by endotoxic shock. Then, they were killed by exsanguination at 6 h after LPS administration. The blood samples were collected for serum examination, and the lungs were removed for pathology examination, determination of wet-to-dry weight ratio, MDA content, SOD activity, serum tumor necrosis factor-α, determination of HO-1 protein and mRNA expression, and determination of ERK1/2 protein.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed that after EA treatment, expression of HO-1and ERK1/2 was slightly increased compared to those in other groups, accompanied with less severe lung injury as indicated by lower index of lung injury score, lower wet-to-dry weight ratio, MDA content, and serum tumor necrosis factor-α levels, and greater SOD activity (p<0.05 for all). After pretreatment with ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059, the effect of EA treatment and expression of HO-1 were suppressed (p<0.05 for all).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After electro-acupuncture stimulation at ST36 and BL13, severe lung injury during endotoxic shock was attenuated. The mechanism may be through up-regulation of HO-1, mediated by the signal transductions of ERK1/2 pathways. Thus, the regulation of ERK1/2 pathways via electro-acupuncture may be a therapeutic strategy for endotoxic shock.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin Nan Kai Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin Nan Kai Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Jian-Bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, First People's Hospital of Xiang Yang, Hubei, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Xiao-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin Nan Kai Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Li-Rong
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin Nan Kai Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Man
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin Nan Kai Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Xin-Shun
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin Nan Kai Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Shu-An
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin Nan Kai Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Yu-Miao
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture, National University of Health Sciences, Lombard, USA.
authors.forename: Yihyun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D017931:DNA Primers; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology*; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006652:Histological Techniques; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011817:Rabbits; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000628:therapy; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase