1
|
Liu L, Tang Z, Zeng Q, Qi W, Zhou Z, Chen D, Cai D, Chen Y, Sun S, Gong S, He B, Yu S, Zhao L. Transcriptomic Insights into Different Stimulation Intensity of Electroacupuncture in Treating COPD in Rat Models. J Inflamm Res 2024; 17:2873-2887. [PMID: 38741612 PMCID: PMC11090121 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s458580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Electroacupuncture (EA), with varying stimulation intensities, has demonstrated therapeutic potentials in both animal and clinical studies for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, a comprehensive investigation of the intensity-related effects, particularly 1mA and 3mA of EA, and the underlying mechanisms remains lacking. Methods A COPD rat model was established by prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke and intermittent intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide. EA treatment was administered at acupoints BL13 (Feishu) and ST36 (Zusanli), 20 minutes daily for 2 weeks, with intensities of 1mA and 3mA. EA effectiveness was evaluated by pulmonary function, histopathological change, serum level of inflammatory cytokines, and level of oxidative stress markers in serum and lung tissues. Transcriptome profiling and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were performed to reveal gene expression patterns and identify hub genes. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot (WB) were performed to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively. Results EA at both 1mA and 3mA exerted differing therapeutic effects by improving lung function and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in COPD rats. Transcriptome analysis revealed distinct expression patterns between the two groups, functionally corresponding to shared and intensity-specific (1mA and 3mA) enriched pathways. Eight candidate genes were identified, including Aqp9, Trem1, Mrc1, and Gpnmb that were downregulated by EA and upregulated in COPD. Notably, Msr1 and Slc26a4 exclusively downregulated in EA-1mA, while Pde3a and Bmp6 upregulated solely in EA-3mA. WGCNA constructed 5 key modules and elucidated the module-trait relationship, with the aforementioned 8 genes being highlighted. Additionally, their mRNA and protein levels were validated by RT-qPCR and WB. Conclusion Our results demonstrated that 1mA and 3mA intensities induce distinct gene expression patterns at the transcriptional level, associated with shared and 1mA vs 3mA-specific enriched pathways. Genes Mrc1, Gpnmb, Trem1, and Aqp9 emerge as promising targets, and further studies are needed to elucidate their functional consequences in COPD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Liu
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zili Tang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qian Zeng
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenchuan Qi
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ziyang Zhou
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Daohong Chen
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dingjun Cai
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
- Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture for Senile Disease (Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shiqi Sun
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Siyao Gong
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bin He
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuguang Yu
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
- Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture for Senile Disease (Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Ling Zhao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China
- Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture for Senile Disease (Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang C, Wang J, Wu X, Liu T, Wang F, Zhou H, Chen C, Shi L, Ma L, Liu T, Li C. Comprehensive review on sexual dimorphism to improve scalp acupuncture in nervous system disease. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14447. [PMID: 37665197 PMCID: PMC10805401 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the development of modern medicine, the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) combined with western medicine began to be produced and applied. Scalp acupuncture (SA) as a Chinese medicine based on neurological theory, has a great advantage compared with TCM in the treatment of nervous system diseases. METHOD In this paper, we analyze the physiological and pathological manifestations of sexual dimorphism (SD) to illustrate the necessity of SD treatment. In addition, we review the factors that can affect SD and analyze in physiological structure, function, and pathological neurons. Diseases (pathological basis, pathological manifestations, and incidence) and factors leading to gender differences, which to analyze the possibility of gender differences in SA. RESULT Furthermore, we creatively a new insight of SD-SA and provide the complete SD treatment cases on the basis of the existing SA in different kinds of diseases including stroke, migraine, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression. CONCLUSION In summary, we believe that it is feasible to improve the clinical effectiveness of SA, which is able to promote the development of SA, and then provides an actionable evidence for the promotion of precision medicine in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chaojie Wang
- Department of First Clinical Medical CollegeHeilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHeilongjiangChina
| | - Jiening Wang
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xubo Wu
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
- School of Rehabilitation ScienceShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of BioengineeringImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Feng Wang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHarbinChina
| | - Huanxia Zhou
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Chen Chen
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHarbinChina
| | - Lijuan Shi
- School of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringBeihang UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Lin Ma
- First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHarbinChina
| | - Tiantian Liu
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Cancheng Li
- School of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringBeihang UniversityBeijingChina
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jin GY, Jin LL, Jin BX, Zheng J, He BJ, Li SJ. Neural control of cerebral blood flow: scientific basis of scalp acupuncture in treating brain diseases. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1210537. [PMID: 37650106 PMCID: PMC10464620 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1210537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Scalp acupuncture (SA), as a modern acupuncture therapy in the treatment of brain diseases, especially for acute ischemic strokes, has accumulated a wealth of experience and tons of success cases, but the current hypothesized mechanisms of SA therapy still seem to lack significant scientific validity, which may not be conducive to its ultimate integration into mainstream medicine. This review explores a novel perspective about the mechanisms of SA in treating brain diseases based on its effects on cerebral blood flow (CBF). To date, abundant evidence has shown that CBF is significantly increased by stimulating specific SA points, areas or nerves innervating the scalp, which parallels the instant or long-term improvement of symptoms of brain diseases. Over time, the neural pathways that improve CBF by stimulating the trigeminal, the facial, and the cervical nerves have also been gradually revealed. In addition, the presence of the core SA points or areas frequently used for brain diseases can be rationally explained by the characteristics of nerve distribution, including nerve overlap or convergence in certain parts of the scalp. But such characteristics also suggest that the role of these SA points or areas is relatively specific and not due to a direct correspondence between the current hypothesized SA points, areas and the functional zones of the cerebral cortex. The above evidence chain indicates that the efficacy of SA in treating brain diseases, especially ischemic strokes, is mostly achieved by stimulating the scalp nerves, especially the trigeminal nerve to improve CBF. Of course, the mechanisms of SA in treating various brain diseases might be multifaceted. However, the authors believe that understanding the neural regulation of SA on CBF not only captures the main aspects of the mechanisms of SA therapy, but also facilitates the elucidation of other mechanisms, which may be of greater significance to further its clinical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Yuan Jin
- International Institute of Systems Medicine, Inc., Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Ace Acupuncture Clinic of Milwaukee, LLC, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Louis Lei Jin
- The Woodlands Acupuncture and Herbal Clinic, The Woodlands, TX, United States
| | - Bonnie Xia Jin
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Jin Zheng
- HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe, Conroe, TX, United States
| | - Belinda Jie He
- The Woodlands Acupuncture and Herbal Clinic, The Woodlands, TX, United States
| | - Shi-Jiang Li
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Suzuki T, Waki H, Imai K, Hisajima T. Electroacupuncture on the Ophthalmic Branch of the Trigeminal Nerve Affects Cerebral Blood Flow in the Frontopolar Cortex During Mental Arithmetic: A Randomized Crossover Trial. Med Acupunct 2023. [DOI: 10.1089/acu.2022.0059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Suzuki
- Faculty of Health Care, Teikyo Heisei University, and Research Institute of Oriental Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideaki Waki
- Faculty of Health Care, Teikyo Heisei University, and Research Institute of Oriental Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenji Imai
- Faculty of Health Care, Teikyo Heisei University, and Research Institute of Oriental Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Hisajima
- Faculty of Health Care, Teikyo Heisei University, and Research Institute of Oriental Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wang L, Su XT, Cao Y, Yang NN, Hao XW, Li HP, Wang QY, Yang JW. Potential mechanisms of acupuncture in enhancing cerebral perfusion of ischemic stroke. Front Neurol 2022; 13:1030747. [PMID: 36388196 PMCID: PMC9650151 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1030747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is the predominant cause of long-term disability and death worldwide. It is attributable to the sudden interruption of regional cerebral blood flow, resulting in brain cell death and neurological impairment. Acupuncture is a widely used adjuvant treatment for ischemic stroke in China and shows promising efficacy in clinical practice. This review mainly focused on the evidence to illustrate several possible mechanisms of acupuncture therapy on cerebral perfusion in ischemic stroke. Studies have shown that acupuncture is probably effective in the enhancement of cerebral perfusion after ischemic stroke. It promotes the improvement of hemodynamics, the release of vasoactive substances, the formation of new blood vessels, as well as the restitution of microcirculation. Multiple factors may contribute to the variability in acupuncture's therapeutic effects, including the acupoint selection, stimulation frequency and intensity, and retaining needle time. Acupuncture has the potential to become a non-pharmacological adjuvant approach to enhance cerebral perfusion in ischemic stroke. Future studies are required to gain our insight into acupuncture as well as accelerate its clinical translation.
Collapse
|
6
|
Li K, Wang J, Hu Z, Deng B, Yu H. Gating attractor dynamics of frontal cortex under acupuncture via recurrent neural network. IEEE J Biomed Health Inform 2022; 26:3836-3847. [PMID: 35290193 DOI: 10.1109/jbhi.2022.3158963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Acupuncture can regulate the functions of human body and improve the cognition of brain. However, the mechanism of acupuncture manipulations remains unclear. Here, we hypothesis that the frontal cortex plays a gating role in information routing of brain network under acupuncture. To that end, the gating effect of frontal cortex under acupuncture is analyzed in combination with EEG data of acupuncture at Zusanli acupoints. In addition, recurrent neural network (RNN) is used to reproduce the dynamics of frontal cortex under normal state and acupuncture state. From low-dimensional view, it is shown that the brain networks under acupuncture state can show stable attractor cycle dynamics, which may explain the regulation effect of acupuncture. Comparing with different manipulations, we find that the attractor of low-dimensional trajectory varies under different frequencies of acupuncture. Besides, a strip gated band of neural dynamics is found by changing the frequency of stimulation and excitatory-inhibitory balance of network. The attractor state is found to transport in the gating area under different stimulation frequencies, and the probability of attractor migration is different across acupuncture manipulations. This reverse engineering of brain network indicates that the differences among acupuncture manipulations are caused by interaction and separation in the neural activity space between attractors that encode acupuncture function. Consequently, our results may provide help for quantitative analysis of acupuncture, and benefit for the clinical guidance of acupuncture clinicians.
Collapse
|
7
|
Li C, White TG, Shah KA, Chaung W, Powell K, Wang P, Woo HH, Narayan RK. Percutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation Induces Cerebral Vasodilation in a Dose-Dependent Manner. Neurosurgery 2021; 88:E529-E536. [PMID: 33677599 DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyab053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The trigeminal nerve directly innervates key vascular structures both centrally and peripherally. Centrally, it is known to innervate the brainstem and cavernous sinus, whereas peripherally the trigemino-cerebrovascular network innervates the majority of the cerebral vasculature. Upon stimulation, it permits direct modulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF), making the trigeminal nerve a promising target for the management of cerebral vasospasm. However, trigeminally mediated cerebral vasodilation has not been applied to the treatment of vasospasm. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of percutaneous electrical stimulation of the infraorbital branch of the trigeminal nerve (pTNS) on the cerebral vasculature. METHODS In order to determine the stimulus-response function of pTNS on cerebral vasodilation, CBF, arterial blood pressure, cerebrovascular resistance, intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, cerebrospinal fluid calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) concentrations, and the diameter of cerebral vessels were measured in healthy and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) rats. RESULTS The present study demonstrates, for the first time, that pTNS increases brain CGRP concentrations in a dose-dependent manner, thereby producing controllable cerebral vasodilation. This vasodilatory response appears to be independent of the pressor response induced by pTNS, as it is maintained even after transection of the spinal cord at the C5-C6 level and shown to be confined to the infraorbital nerve by administration of lidocaine or destroying it. Furthermore, such pTNS-induced vasodilatory response of cerebral vessels is retained after SAH-induced vasospasm. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that pTNS is a promising vasodilator and increases CBF, cerebral perfusion, and CGRP concentration both in normal and vasoconstrictive conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Li
- Translational Brain Research Laboratory, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Timothy G White
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Kevin A Shah
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Wayne Chaung
- Center for Immunology and Inflammation, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York, USA
| | - Keren Powell
- Translational Brain Research Laboratory, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York, USA
| | - Ping Wang
- Center for Immunology and Inflammation, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York, USA
| | - Henry H Woo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Raj K Narayan
- Translational Brain Research Laboratory, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
White TG, Powell K, Shah KA, Woo HH, Narayan RK, Li C. Trigeminal Nerve Control of Cerebral Blood Flow: A Brief Review. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:649910. [PMID: 33927590 PMCID: PMC8076561 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.649910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The trigeminal nerve, the fifth cranial nerve, is known to innervate much of the cerebral arterial vasculature and significantly contributes to the control of cerebrovascular tone in both healthy and diseased states. Previous studies have demonstrated that stimulation of the trigeminal nerve (TNS) increases cerebral blood flow (CBF) via antidromic, trigemino-parasympathetic, and other central pathways. Despite some previous reports on the role of the trigeminal nerve and its control of CBF, there are only a few studies that investigate the effects of TNS on disorders of cerebral perfusion (i.e., ischemic stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and traumatic brain injury). In this mini review, we present the current knowledge regarding the mechanisms of trigeminal nerve control of CBF, the anatomic underpinnings for targeted treatment, and potential clinical applications of TNS, with a focus on the treatment of impaired cerebral perfusion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy G White
- Translational Brain Research Laboratory, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States.,Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Keren Powell
- Translational Brain Research Laboratory, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States
| | - Kevin A Shah
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Henry H Woo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Raj K Narayan
- Translational Brain Research Laboratory, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States.,Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Chunyan Li
- Translational Brain Research Laboratory, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States.,Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|