title: [Effects of Electroacupunctrue Combined with Dietary Control on Peroxisome Proliferator-activa- ted Receptor-α, and Liver Fatty Acid-binding Protein Levels in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of electroacupunctrue (EA) intervention or EA combined with dietary control on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α, and liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) levels in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rats, so as to reveal its mechanism underlying improvement of NAFLD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty SD male rats were randomly divided into common diet (control) group (n = 10) and high-fat diet group (n = 45). The NAFLD model was established by feeding the animals with high-fat forage (HFF, including cholesterol, sodium cholate, propylthiouracil, sucrose, lard and common forage) for 5 weeks. Forty NAFLD rats were then randomized into model, EA + HFF, low-fat forage (LFF) and EA+ LFF groups (n = 10 rats in each group). EA (4 Hz/20 Hz, 3 mA) was applied to ipsilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36),"Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) and "Taichong" (LR 3) for 20 min, once daily for 4 weeks. The pathologic changes of the hepatic tissue were detected by H. E. staining. Serum total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) contents were determined by using enzymatic methods, serum free fat acids (FFA) content was detected by colorimetry. The expression levels of PPAR-α and L-FABP protein and gene of the liver tissue were determined by Western blot and RT-PCR, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  H. E. staining showed that the hepatocytes presented moderate or severe bullous adipose degeneration in rats of the model group, vesicular steatosis in the EA + HFF and LFF groups, turned to almost normal but with small amount of lipid droplets in the EA + LFF group. The contents of serum TC, TG and FFA were significantly higher in the model group than in the control group (P < 0.05), and were obviously decreased in the EA + HFF, LFF and EA + LFF groups in comparison with the model group (P < 0.05). Compared to the control group, hepatic PPAR-α protein and mRNA were markedly down-regulated in the model group, and hepatic L-FABP protein and mRNA considerably up-regulated in the model group (P < 0.05). Following EA intervention and low fat diet feeding, PPAR-α protein and mRNA were markedly up-regulated while L-FABP protein and mRNA remarkably down-regulated in the EA + HFF, LFF and EA + LFF groups (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA intervention or EA combined with dietary control can relieve hepatic pathological changes in NAFLD rats, which may be related to its effects in down-regulating blood lipid level and hepatic L-FABP protein and mRNA expression and in up-regulating PPAR-α protein and mRNA expression, and the effect of combined treatment was relatively better than simple EA or LFF treatment.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Cheng-lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Hai-zhou
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Nian-zhen
authors.initials: NZ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Rui-qi
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D047493:PPAR alpha