title: Electroacupuncture inhibits weight gain in diet-induced obese rats by activating hypothalamic LKB1-AMPK signaling.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electroacupuncture (EA) is reported to be an effective treatment for obesity, but its mechanism is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between hypothalamic LKB1-AMPK-ACC signaling and EA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups fed either chow (chow-fed group) or high-fat diet (HF group). After 4 weeks of feeding, obese rats in the HF group (defined as weighing 20% or more than rats in the chow-fed group) were randomly allocated into an EA or Diet-induced obesity (DIO) group. The EA group was given EA on bilateral ST25-ST36 for 4 weeks, while the DIO group received no further intervention. Body weight of the chow-fed, DIO, and EA groups were measured weekly. mRNA and protein levels of the hypothalamic LKB1-AMPK-ACC signaling pathway were detected using real-time (RT)-PCR and western blot, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 4 weeks of EA treatment, the weight growth trend of rats in the EA group was inhibited compared with those in the DIO group. RT-PCR and western blotting showed that EA upregulated the transcription of Adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase α2 (AMPKα2), promoted protein expression of Liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and AMPKα1, and inhibited acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) protein expression in the hypothalamus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that hypothalamic LKB1-AMPK-ACC signaling plays an important role in EA treatment for obesity.
authors.affiliation: Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610075, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. xujing8059@163.com.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610075, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. tdxhfccw@126.com.|The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China. tdxhfccw@126.com.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610075, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. zhizhezhiwei@163.com.|The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China. zhizhezhiwei@163.com.
authors.forename: Lewei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610075, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. 173413560@qq.com.
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610075, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. 20429674@qq.com.
authors.forename: Si
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610075, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. 604722795@qq.com.
authors.forename: Jinfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Guiyang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 50 Shi Dong Road Guiyang Province, 550002, Guiyang, Guizhou, China. 490564043@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yinglong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610075, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. renxg2468@163.com.
authors.forename: Yulan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610075, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. acuresearch@126.com.
authors.forename: Fanrong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Guiyang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 50 Shi Dong Road Guiyang Province, 550002, Guiyang, Guizhou, China. arlene0411@163.com.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000091162:AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C488755:Stk11 protein, rat; D000091162:AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases