title: The effect of electroacupuncture at ST36 on severe thermal injury-induced remote acute lung injury in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Acupuncture at ST36 can produce anti-inflammatory effects, which might be associated with vagus nerve activity. This study explored the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at ST36 on severe thermal injury-induced remote acute lung injury in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into five groups: (1) the sham (S) group, (2) the thermal injury (TEM) group subjected to 30% total body surface area (30% TBSA) third-degree scald, (3) the EA at ST36 group subjected to EA stimulation at ST36 (3V, 2ms, and 3Hz) after 30% TBSA scald, (4) the EA at non-acupoint group subjected to EA stimulation at non-acupoint after 30% TBSA scald, and (5) the α-bungarotoxin (α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit antagonist) group administered 1.0 μg kg(-1) α-bungarotoxin before EA at ST36.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thermal injury of 30% TBSA induced leukocytosis in the alveolar space, interstitial edema, and the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB-1); the expression of both HMGB-1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein in lung tissue was significantly enhanced. EA at ST36 significantly downregulated the levels of inflammatory cytokines and improved lung tissue injury. However, pretreatment with α-bungarotoxin reversed the effects of electrical stimulation of ST36.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA at ST36 might have a potential protective effect on severe thermal injury-induced remote acute lung injury via limitation of inflammatory responses in rats.
authors.affiliation: The Research Centre of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Wuchang, 125 East Lake Road, Hubei Province, China. Electronic address: sxmcl1018@163.com.
authors.forename: Xue-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, Wuchang, 238 Liberation Road, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: The Research Centre of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Wuchang, 125 East Lake Road, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The Research Centre of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Wuchang, 125 East Lake Road, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Lin-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Le
authors.affiliation: The Research Centre of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Wuchang, 125 East Lake Road, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: The Research Centre of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Wuchang, 125 East Lake Road, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: The Research Centre of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Wuchang, 125 East Lake Road, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Zong-Ze
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Research Centre of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Wuchang, 125 East Lake Road, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002056:Burns / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D024243:HMGB1 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D024243:HMGB1 Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Acute lung injury; Electroacupuncture; HMGB-1; ST36