Regulating Gut Flora Dysbiosis in Obese Mice by Electroacupuncture

Acupuncture influences multiple diseases by regulating gut microbiota

Acupuncture, an important green and side effect-free therapy in traditional Chinese medicine, is widely use both domestically and internationally. Acupuncture can interact with the gut microbiota and influence various diseases, including metabolic diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, mental disorders, nervous system diseases, and other diseases. This review presents a thorough analysis of these interactions and their impacts and examines the alterations in the gut microbiota and the potential clinical outcomes following acupuncture intervention to establish a basis for the future utilization of acupuncture in clinical treatments.

Electroacupuncture at ST25 corrected gut microbial dysbiosis and SNpc lipid peroxidation in Parkinson's disease rats

Introduction

Parkinson's disease (PD) remains one kind of a complex, progressive neurodegenerative disease. Levodopa and dopamine agonists as widely utilized PD therapeutics have not shown significant positive long-term outcomes. Emerging evidences indicate that electroacupuncture (EA) have potential effects on the therapy of nervous system disorders, particularly PD, but its specific underlying mechanism(s) remains poorly understood, leading to the great challenge of clinical application and management. Previous study has shown that acupuncture ameliorates PD motor symptoms and dopaminergic neuron damage by modulating intestinal dysbiosis, but its intermediate pathway has not been sufficiently investigated.

Methods

A rat model of PD was induced using rotenone. The therapeutic effect of EA on PD was assessed using the pole and rotarod tests and immunohistostaining for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the substantia nigra (SN) of brain. The role of gut microbiota was explored using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabonomic analysis. PICRUSt2 analysis, lipidomic analysis, LPS and inflammatory factor assays were used for subsequent exploration and validation. Correlation analysis was used to identify the key bacteria that EA regulates lipid metabolism to improve PD.

Results

The present study firstly reappeared the effects of EA on protecting motor function and dopaminergic neurons and modulation of gut microbial dysbiosis in rotenone-induced PD rat model. EA improved motor dysfunction (via the pole and rotarod tests) and protected TH+ neurons in PD rats. EA increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Dubosiella and Bifidobacterium and decreased the abundance of Escherichia-Shigella and Morganella belonging to Pseudomonadota, suggesting that the modulation of gut microbiota by EA improving the symptoms of PD motility via alleviating LPS-induced inflammatory response and oxidative stress, which was also validated by various aspects such as microbial gene functional analysis, fecal metabolomics analysis, LPS and inflammatory factor assays and SNpc lipidomics analysis. Moreover, correlation analyses also verified strong correlations of Escherichia-Shigella and Morganella with motor symptoms and SNpc lipid peroxidation, explicating targets and intermediate pathways through which EA improve PD exercise symptom.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that the improvement of motor function in PD model by EA may be mediated in part by restoring the gut microbiota, which intermediate processes involve circulating endotoxins and inflammatory mediators, SNpc oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. The gut-microbiome - brain axis may be a potential mechanism of EA treatment for the PD.

Gut microbiota interacts with inflammatory responses in acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the most common acute abdominal conditions, and its incidence has been increasing for years. Approximately 15-20% of patients develop severe AP (SAP), which is complicated by critical inflammatory injury and intestinal dysfunction. AP-associated inflammation can lead to the gut barrier and function damage, causing dysbacteriosis and facilitating intestinal microbiota migration. Pancreatic exocrine deficiency and decreased levels of antimicrobial peptides in AP can also lead to abnormal growth of intestinal bacteria. Meanwhile, intestinal microbiota migration influences the pancreatic microenvironment and affects the severity of AP, which, in turn, exacerbates the systemic inflammatory response. Thus, the interaction between the gut microbiota (GM) and the inflammatory response may be a key pathogenic feature of SAP. Treating either of these factors or breaking their interaction may offer some benefits for SAP treatment. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of interaction of the GM and inflammation in AP and factors that can deteriorate or even cure both, including some traditional Chinese medicine treatments, to provide new methods for studying AP pathogenesis and developing therapies.

Acupuncture as multi-targeted therapy for the multifactorial disease obesity: a complex neuro-endocrine-immune interplay

The prevalence of obesity has reached pandemic dimensions. It is associated with multiple comorbidities and is becoming a clinical and public health threat. Obesity is a multifactorial disease with a complex pathophysiology and interplay of various systems. A strong interplay exists between the neuro-endocrine system, the immune system with systemic chronic low-grade inflammation, and microbiome dysbiosis that can lead to the development of obesity, which in turn can exacerbate each of these factors, hence creating a vicious cycle. The conventional treatment with lifestyle modifications such as diet, physical exercise, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery does not always result in sufficient weight control thus paving the way for other strategies. As one such strategy, acupuncture is increasingly used worldwide to treat obesity. This narrative review outlines the evidence for this neuro-endocrine-immune interplay in the pathophysiology of obesity. Furthermore, the existing experimental and clinical evidence of acupuncture as a multi-targeted therapy for obesity is explained and future research perspectives are discussed.

The clinical evaluation of electroacupuncture combined with mindfulness meditation for overweight and obesity: study protocol for a randomized sham-controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Overweight and obesity have reached an epidemic level which impacts individual health and creates a financial burden worldwide. Evidence has shown that electroacupuncture is effective for weight loss when combined with lifestyle intervention, while mindfulness meditation can enhance the outcome of weight loss programs. This study aims to evaluate the safety and the add-on effect of electroacupuncture and mindfulness meditation for weight management in overweight and obesity.

METHODS/DESIGN

This is a sham-controlled, three-armed randomized clinical trial. A total of 165 participants with BMI between 25 and 39.99 and aged between 18 and 60 who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be randomized into [1] electroacupuncture plus mindfulness meditation group, [2] sham electroacupuncture plus mindfulness meditation group, and [3] electroacupuncture only group. The total duration of this study will be 22 weeks, which consists of a 2-week run-in period, a 12-week intervention period, and an 8-week follow-up period. Participants will receive 12 weekly treatments during the intervention period. Primary outcomes will include body mass index, waist and hip ratio, and body composition. Secondary outcomes will be measured by the Weight-Related Symptom Measure, Obesity and Weight Loss Quality of Life, the Power of Food Scale, and the Chinese medicine differential diagnosis questionnaire. Outcomes will be assessed at the baseline, and endpoints of the 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 20th week.

DISCUSSION

This clinical trial will investigate the add-on effect of two combined interventions for weight loss treatment. The findings of this study may contribute to the development of a cost-effective and multidisciplinary weight management approach.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12618000964213. Registered on 07 June 2018.

Electroacupuncture May Inhibit Oxidative Stress of Premature Ovarian Failure Mice by Regulating Intestinal Microbiota

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is the leading cause of female infertility, and there is no optimal treatment or medication available currently. For POF, electroacupuncture (EA) has been considered a promising therapeutic approach, but the mechanism for this is not clear. In this study, we explored the effects of EA (CV4, ST36, and SP6) on oxidative stress and intestinal microbiota of high-fat and high-sugar- (HFHS-) induced POF mice. The development of mice follicles was observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The serum levels of estrone (E1), estrogen (E2), estriol (E3), and 21-deoxycortisol (21D) were measured by the HPLC-MS/MS method. The concentrations of Fe2+, superoxide dismutase (SOD), hydroxyl radical (·OH), glutathione (GSH), superoxide anion, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured by spectrophotometry. The 16S-rDNA sequencing was used to measure many parameters related to the host gut bacteriome and mycobiome composition, relative abundance, and diversity. mRNA expression levels of ferroptosis-related genes were determined by RT-qPCR. After 4 weeks of EA intervention in POF mice, mature follicles were increased and the levels of the sex hormone were improved. SOD activities, antisuperoxide activities, and GSH increased while MDA, ·OH, and Fe2+ decreased. In addition, EA also altered the intestinal microbiota. These results reveal that EA can effectively inhibit ovarian oxidative stress and the accumulation of Fe2+ in POF mice. It may be that the alteration in the intestinal microbiota is one of the potential mechanisms of EA treatment. These findings suggest that EA has clinical potential as a safe treatment for POF.

Effect of Electroacupuncture on Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Peripheral Blood after Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion/Reperfusion in Rats Based on Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Previous fundamental and clinical research has shown that electroacupuncture (EA) at the acupoints of Quchi (LI11) and Zusanli (ST36) can successfully alleviate motor dysfunction following stroke. Additionally, it has been discovered that gut microbiota and their metabolites play an essential role in stroke. However, the relationship between the metabolites of gut microbiota and the efficacy of EA is still unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the mechanism of EA at LI11 and ST36 in the treatment of motor dysfunction after middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) in model rats by comparing the differences and correlation between different short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and the recovery of motor function. The results indicated that EA at LI11 and ST36 acupoints enhanced the neurological function, motor function, and infarct volume of MCAO/R rats. The levels of acetic acid, propionic acid, and total SCFAs were considerably lower in the MCAO/R group than in the sham group (P < 0.05). Acetic acid, propionic acid, and total SCFA concentrations were substantially higher in the MCAO/R + EA group than in the MCAO/R group (P < 0.05). Finally, Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the propionic acid concentration was substantially favorably connected with the duration on the rotarod (r = 0.633 and P < 0.05) and highly negatively correlated with the modified neurological severity score (mNSS) (r = −0.698 and P < 0.05) and the percentage of cerebral infarct volume (r = −0.729 and P < 0.05). Taken together, these findings indicate that the increase in propionic acid may be one of the mechanisms and targets of EA at LI11 and ST36 acupoints to improve poststroke motor dysfunction in MCAO/R rats.

Integrative Analysis of the Gut Microbiota and Metabolome in Obese Mice with Electroacupuncture by 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing and HPLC-MS-based Metabolic Profiling

Acupuncture has been used to treat numerous diseases such as obesity in China for thousands of years. Several mechanisms of acupuncture on obesity have been surveyed based on metabolomics, but the effects of acupuncture on the alterations in the gut flora are still unclear. In this study, an integrated approach based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) metabolic profiling was conducted to investigate the effects of acupuncture on high-fat-diet-induced obesity through the regulation of the relative abundances of gut microbiota and their relationships with biomarker candidates. A total of 10 significantly altered bacterial genera and 11 metabolites were recognized, which recovered to normal levels after electroacupuncture treatment. The relative abundances of the bacterial families Muribaculaceae,Lachnospiraceae,Desulfovibrionaceae,Helicobacteraceae, Prevotellaceae,Ruminococcaceae,Rikenellaceae,Deferribacteraceae,Bacteroidaceae andTannerellaceaewere remarkedly changed among the three groups. Potential biomarkers, including LysoPC(0:0/16:0) ([Formula: see text]1),PC(0:0/18:0) ([Formula: see text]2),Cholic acid([Formula: see text]3),LysoPC(16:0) ([Formula: see text]4), 3[Formula: see text],6[Formula: see text],7[Formula: see text]-Trihydroxy-5[Formula: see text]-cholanoic acid([Formula: see text]5), 5beta-Cyprinolsulfate([Formula: see text]6),PC(18:0/0:0) ([Formula: see text]7), 1-Nitro-5-hydroxy-6-glutathionyl-5,6-dihydronaphthalene([Formula: see text]8),Glycocholic acid([Formula: see text]9),[Formula: see text]-Arginine([Formula: see text]10) andGulonic acid([Formula: see text]11), were involved in several metabolic pathways, such as the glycerophospholipid metabolism and primary bile acid biosynthesis. Interestingly, there was a strong correlation between the perturbed gut flora in Bilophila and Bifidobacterium and the altered intestinal metabolite of 3[Formula: see text],6[Formula: see text],7[Formula: see text]-Trihydroxy-5[Formula: see text]-cholanoic acid and Cholanoic acid and [Formula: see text]-Arginine. This finding suggested that the effects of electroacupuncture might change the proportions of Bilophila and Bifidobacterium by regulating the constituents of the functional metabolite of 3[Formula: see text],6[Formula: see text],7[Formula: see text]-Trihydroxy-5[Formula: see text]-cholanoic acid and Cholanoic acid and [Formula: see text]-Arginine. These results indicated that the effects of electroacupuncture focused on custom metabolic pathways as well as depend on the changes in the gut microbiota in obesity. These findings suggest that the 16S rRNA gene sequencing and HPLC-MS-based metabolomics approach can be applied to comprehensively assess the effects of traditional Chinese medicines.

Effect of Electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) on Intestinal Microbiota in Rats With Chronic Atrophic Gastritis

Background: Electroacupuncture is a common treatment for chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) in China. We aimed to determine the effects of electroacupuncture at zusanli (ST36) on intestinal microbiota in CAG rats.

Methods: In total, 42 SD rats were randomly divided into normal (NC, 10 rats) and model (MG, 32 rats) groups. Rats in the MG group were established as CAG disease models. After that, the rats in the MG group were randomly divided into CAG (10 rats), electroacupuncture (EA, 10 rats), and Vitacoenzyme (Vit, 10 rats) groups. Rats in the NC and CAG groups were subjected to a 30-min/d confinement for 4 weeks. Rats in the EA group were given electroacupuncture at zusanli for 30 min/d for 4 weeks. Rats in the Vit group were given Vitacoenzyme solution 10 ml/(kg d) for 4 weeks. Histopathological changes in the gastric mucosa were observed with hematoxylin and eosin staining, and the gene expression level of p53, Bcl-2, and c-myc was determined using the qPCR method. The 16S rDNA sequencing technique was used to determine structural changes and relative abundance expression of intestinal flora.

Results: Compared with the NC group, gastric mucosal pathology in the CAG group revealed significant inflammatory infiltration, and the gastric mucosal lesions in the electroacupuncture group were improved remarkably; the expression of p53 and c-myc genes in the CAG group increased (p < 0.05), while the expression of Bcl-2 genes decreased (p < 0.05) in the EA group, that of p53 and c-myc genes decreased (p < 0.05), and that of Bcl-2 genes increased (p < 0.05). The abundance of bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Desulfobacterota, and Bacteroides pectinophilus group in the CAG group increased (p < 0.05), while that of bacteria such as Gastranaerophilales, Romboutsia, and Blautia decreased (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Desulfobacterota and Helicobacter in the EA group decreased (p < 0.05), while that of probiotic bacteria such as Oscillospirales, Romboutsia, and Christensenellaceae increased (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Electroacupuncture at zusanli can promote the repair of pathological damage to the gastric mucosa in rats with CAG, and the mechanism might relate to the reduction in the relative abundance of harmful bacteria, increase in the relative abundance of intestinal probiotics, and regulation of the intestinal microbiota.

Electroacupuncture Combined With Diet Treatment Has a Therapeutic Effect on Perimenopausal Patients With Abdominal Obesity by Improving the Community Structure of Intestinal Flora

Background: This study explored the influences of electroacupuncture combined with dietary intervention on the intestinal flora in perimenopausal patients with abdominal obesity by using the 16s rRNA sequencing technology.

Methods: Perimenopausal patients with abdominal obesity were divided into the Electroacupuncture group and the Control group. Patients in the Control group received healthy lifestyle education, while those in the Electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture combined with dietary intervention. Before and after treatment, the weight, height, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-height ratio (WHtR), waist to hip ratio (WHR), and body mass index (BMI) of the patients were recorded; the levels of serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting insulin (FINS), and fasting blood glucose (FGB) were evaluated; and the abundance, diversity, and species differences of intestinal flora were analyzed using 16s rRNA sequencing technology.

Results: The body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, BMI, WHR, and WHtR of patients in the Electroacupuncture group after treatment were lower than those before treatment. Compared with the Control group, patients in the Electroacupuncture group after treatment displayed lower waist circumference, WHtR, WHR, TG, and LDL levels as well as species abundance, higher species diversity, and lager species difference in the intestinal flora. Besides, the proportions of Klebsiella and Kosakonia in the intestinal flora of patients in the Electroacupuncture group after treatment were larger than those before treatment.

Conclusion: Electroacupuncture combined with diet treatment generated a therapeutic effect on abdominal obesity in perimenopausal patients by improving the community structure of intestinal flora.

Electroacupuncture improves metabolic and ovarian function in a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome by decreasing white adipose tissue, increasing brown adipose tissue, and modulating the gut microbiota

BACKGROUND

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 8%-15% of reproductive-age women and is associated with reproductive disorders, abdominal obesity, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Acupuncture, as a traditional physical therapy method, could affect various metabolic disorders such as obesity, hyperplasia, gout, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in clinical practice. Moreover, electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to decrease body weight in rats with PCOS; however, the mechanism of weight loss and the relationship between adipose tissue and gut microbiota remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect and mechanism of EA on white and brown adipose tissues and gut microbiota, and its follow-up effect on reproductive function, in a rat model of PCOS.

METHODS

Daily EA treatment was administered at ST29 and SP6 in a dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced PCOS-like rat model (PCOS + EA group). Effects of EA on in vivo and in vitro adipose volume and weight, organ weight coefficients, body weight, hormonal profiles, and estrous cyclicity were measured, and compared with untreated PCOS model rats (PCOS group) and healthy rats (control group). Microbial DNA was extracted from the fecal samples to analyze group abundance and diversity.

RESULTS

EA improved estrous cyclicity, decreased body weight, decreased visceral and subcutaneous fat content, and increased brown adipose tissue weight. EA also normalized serum DHT and progesterone levels and improved glucose tolerance. There were few significant differences in the composition or diversity of the gut microbiota between control, PCOS, and PCOS + EA groups, except for the relative abundances of Tenericutes at the phylum level and Prevotella_9 at the genus level, which were significantly different in the PCOS group before and after EA treatment. Both are important microflora, strongly related to body weight.

CONCLUSION

EA regulated the metabolic disorders and improved reproductive function in this PCOS-like rat model by adjusting visceral fat and brown fat, as well as intestinal flora.

Obesity Animal Models for Acupuncture and Related Therapy Research Studies

Obesity and related diseases are considered as pandemic representing a worldwide threat for health. Animal models are critical to validate the effects and understand the mechanisms related to classical or innovative preventive and therapeutic strategies. It is, therefore, important to identify the best animal models for translational research, using different evaluation criteria such as the face, construct, and predictive validity. Because the pharmacological treatments and surgical interventions currently used for treating obesity often present many undesirable side effects, relatively high relapse probabilities, acupuncture, electroacupuncture (EA), and related therapies have gained more popularity and attention. Many kinds of experimental animal models have been used for obesity research studies, but in the context of acupuncture, most of the studies were performed in rodent obesity models. Though, are these obesity rodent models really the best for acupuncture or related therapies research studies? In this study, we review different obesity animal models that have been used over the past 10 years for acupuncture and EA research studies. We present their respective advantages, disadvantages, and specific constraints. With the development of research on acupuncture and EA and the increasing interest regarding these approaches, proper animal models are critical for preclinical studies aiming at developing future clinical trials in the human. The aim of the present study is to provide researchers with information and guidance related to the preclinical models that are currently available to investigate the outcomes of acupuncture and related therapies.

Pathological Impact on the Phyllosphere Microbiota of Artemisia argyi by Haze

The pathological impact of haze upon the phyllosphere microbiota awaits investigation. A moderate degree of haze environment and a clean control were selected in Chengdu, China. Artemisia argyi, a ubiquitously distributed and extensively applied Chinese herb, was also chosen for experiment. Total genome DNA was extracted from leaf samples, and for metagenome sequencing, an Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform was applied. The results showed that the gene numbers of phyllosphere microbiota derived from haze leaves were lower than those of the clean control. The phyllosphere microbiota derived from both haze and clean groups shared the same top ten phyla; the abundances of Proteobacteria, Actinomycetes and Anorthococcuso of the haze group were substantially increased, while Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes decreased. At the genus level, the abundances of Nocardia, Paracoccus, Marmoricola and Knoelia from haze leaves were markedly increased, while the yeasts were statistically decreased. KEGG retrieval demonstrated that the functional genes were most annotated to metabolism. An interesting find of this work is that the phyllosphere microbiota responsible for the synthesis of primary and secondary metabolites in A. argyi were significantly increased under a haze environment. Relatively enriched genes annotated by eggNOG belong to replication, recombination and repair, and genes classified into the glycoside hydrolase and glycosyltransferase enzymes were significantly increased. In summary, we found that both structure and function of phyllosphere microbiota are globally impacted by haze, while primary and secondary metabolites responsible for haze tolerance were considerably increased. These results suggest an adaptive strategy of plants for tolerating and confronting haze damage.

Electroacupuncture may alleviate behavioral defects via modulation of gut microbiota in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease

OBJECTIVE

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease involving non-motor symptoms, of which gastrointestinal disorders are the most common. In light of recent results, intestinal dysfunction may be involved in the pathogenesis of PD. Electroacupuncture (EA) has shown potential effects, although the underlying mechanism remains mostly unknown. We speculated that EA could relieve the behavioral defects of PD, and that this effect would be associated with modulation of the gut microbiota.

METHODS

Mice were randomly divided into three groups: control, PD + MA (manual acupuncture), and PD + EA. MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) was used to establish the mouse model of PD. Rotarod performance tests, open field tests, and pole tests were carried out to assess motor deficiencies. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to examine the survival of dopaminergic neurons. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing was applied to investigate the alterations of the gut microbiome. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to characterize the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines.

RESULTS

We found that EA was able to alleviate the behavioral defects in the rotarod performance test and pole test, and partially rescue the significant loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) chemically induced by MPTP in mice. Moreover, the PD + MA mice showed a tendency toward decreased intestinal microbial alpha diversity, while EA significantly reversed it. The abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae was significantly increased in PD + MA mice, and the alteration was also reversed by EA. In addition, the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were substantially increased in the SN of PD + MA mice, an effect that was reversed by EA.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that EA may alleviate behavioral defects via modulation of gut microbiota and suppression of inflammation in the SN of mice with PD, which provides new insights into the pathogenesis of PD and its treatment.

Effects of Acupuncture Treatment in Reducing Sleep Disorder and Gut Microbiota Alterations in PCPA-Induced Insomnia Mice

Chronic insomnia without intervention will do harm to people's physical and psychological health as well as the quality of life. While ensuring efficacy, traditional Chinese medicine therapy, such as acupuncture, overcomes the side effects of drugs. However, the molecular mechanism of traditional medicine is unclear and it encounters many obstacles in repetitiveness and popularization. On the other side, the placebo effects also need to be eliminated during the intervention. In this study, a number of indicators such as duration of sleep latency, serum markers, pineal gland immunohistochemistry, and gut microbes were detected in the PCPA-induced insomnia mice to compare the effects between acupuncture and hypnotic drug treatments. Although the food intake and weight were not changed, the results show that serum maker and gut microbiota alterations were mediated by concurrent changes in sleep disorder induced by PCPA in mice. Compared with the PCPA-induced insomnia group, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and norepinephrine were reduced in serum, and the melatonin was increased in the pineal gland of the acupuncture group as well as zopiclone drug group. Moreover, the analysis results from 16S tag sequencing of the gut microbiome bacterial rRNA hypervariable region show the same improvement effects between the two medical intervention groups. A co-occurrence network analysis showed that blank and acupuncture networks exhibited higher similarity than sham and zopiclone networks and the sham network possessed the highest complexity of microbial communities. Taken together, the gut microbiome will likely be a new target for improving sleep disorders, and taking into account the side effects of hypnotic drugs, nonpharmacological interventions such as acupuncture may be an effective means and have greater clinical benefits.

Genome-Wide Regulation of Electroacupuncture and Treadmill Exercise on Diet-Induced Obese Rats

Acupuncture has been widely used for obesity treatment, but its mechanism is still unclear. To investigate the molecular mechanisms, we applied electroacupuncture (EA) at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint and treadmill exercise (TE) in a diet-induced obese (DIO) rat model and used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify molecular consequences. Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats were selected and randomly divided into five groups: control (C), DIO model (M), EA, TE, and EA + TE groups. According to the results, acupuncture reduced body weight and the ratio of retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (retro-WAT) to body weight. Total RNA was extracted from the retro-WAT from five groups for RNA-seq. Differentially expressed genes (DEG) analysis showed that there were obvious differences among the four comparisons of C vs. M, M vs. EA, M vs. TE, and M vs. EA + TE, followed by 1383, 913, 3324, and 2794 DE genes. Gene ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis were performed to further classify the DEGs. Several GO terms were commonly significantly enriched in both M vs. TE and M vs. EA, such as myofibril and muscle contraction. In addition, some pathways were regulated by EA and TE, such as the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway. This study is the first to compare and analyze the differences in gene expression profiles in the retro-WAT of rats in different groups, which provide a clue for further investigation into the molecular mechanisms of obesity treatment by EA and TE.

Regulating the Enteric Nervous System against Obesity in Mice by Electroacupuncture

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The enteric nervous system (ENS) dominates the onset of obesity and has been shown to regulate nutrient absorption and energy metabolism.

METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN

This study was performed to investigate the role of electroacupuncture in regulating ENS function in obese mice. Obese mice were obtained by high-fat diet. 16S rRNA pyrosequencing, Western blotting, quantitative PCR, and neurotransmitter analysis were used for this purpose.

RESULTS

Body weight, Lee index, serum lipid, leptin, and adiponectin levels, and other basic indices were significantly ameliorated after electroacupuncture intervention. The pathological ENS scores, serum neurotransmitter levels, and intestinal transit rate were markedly changed in obese mice. Moreover, electroacupuncture promoted the diversity of gut microbiota. No significant differences were observed 21 and 28 days after electroacupuncture.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggested ENS may be a new treatment approach to obesity.