title: Intracellular signalling pathways associated with the glucose-lowering effect of ST36 electroacupuncture in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous animal studies have reported a glucose-lowering effect of electroacupuncture (EA) and suggested that the mechanisms are closely related to intracellular signalling pathways. The aim of this study was to screen for potential intracellular signalling pathways that are upregulated by EA at ST36 bilaterally in rats with diabetes mellitus (DM) using microarray analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were randomly assigned to experimental (EA, n=8) or control (non-EA, n=8) groups. Plasma glucose levels were measured at baseline and after 30 and 60 min, and microarray analysis was performed on samples of gastrocnemius muscle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative to baseline values, EA significantly reduced plasma levels of glucose at 30 and 60 min. The microarray pathway analysis showed that cell adhesion molecules and type 1 DM gene sets were both upregulated in EA versus non-EA groups (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cell adhesion molecules might be related to the glucose-lowering effect induced by EA in rats with STZ-induced type 1 diabetes. Further research will be required to examine the involvement of related intracellular signalling pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan Department of Nursing, Hung Kuang University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Yuh
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tzeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tin-Yun
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Botanicals and Health Applications, Da-Yeh University, Changhua County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-I
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Botanicals and Health Applications, Da-Yeh University, Changhua County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tai-Hao
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jaung-Geng
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuan-Rong
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan Department of Medicinal Botanicals and Health Applications, Da-Yeh University, Changhua County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Liang
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D008297:Male; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose
keywords: DIABETES