title: Enhanced insulin sensitivity and acute regulation of metabolic genes and signaling pathways after a single electrical or manual acupuncture session in female insulin-resistant rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effect of a single session of acupuncture with either low-frequency electrical or manual stimulation on insulin sensitivity and molecular pathways in the insulin-resistant dihydrotestosterone-induced rat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) model. Both stimulations cause activation of afferent nerve fibers. In addition, electrical stimulation causes muscle contractions, enabling us to differentiate changes induced by activation of sensory afferents from contraction-induced changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Control and PCOS rats were divided into no-stimulation, manual-, and electrical stimulation groups and insulin sensitivity was measured by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. Manually stimulated needles were rotated 180° ten times every 5 min, or low-frequency electrical stimulation was applied to evoke muscle twitches for 45 min. Gene and protein expression were analyzed by real-time PCR and Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The glucose infusion rate (GIR) was lower in PCOS rats than in controls. Electrical stimulation was superior to manual stimulation during treatment but both methods increased GIR to the same extent in the post-stimulation period. Electrical stimulation decreased mRNA expression of Adipor2, Adrb1, Fndc5, Erk2, and Tfam in soleus muscle and increased ovarian Adrb2 and Pdf. Manual stimulation decreased ovarian mRNA expression of Erk2 and Sdnd. Electrical stimulation increased phosphorylated ERK levels in soleus muscle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One acupuncture session with electrical stimulation improves insulin sensitivity and modulates skeletal muscle gene and protein expression more than manual stimulation. Although electrical stimulation is superior to manual in enhancing insulin sensitivity during stimulation, they are equally effective after stimulation indicating that it is activation of sensory afferents rather than muscle contraction per se leading to the observed changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 434, 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benrick
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maliqueo
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xiaoke
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mannerås-Holm
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stener-Victorin
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000235:genetics; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics