Effects of electroacupuncture on recovery of the electrophysiological properties of the rabbit gastrocnemius after contusion: an in vivo animal study

Electroacupuncture alleviates motor dysfunction by regulating neuromuscular junction disruption and neuronal degeneration in SOD1G93A mice

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disease characterized by the progressive destruction of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and the degeneration of motor neurons, eventually leading to atrophy and paralysis of voluntary muscles responsible for motion and breathing. NMJs, synaptic connections between motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers, are extremely fragile in ALS. To determine the effects of early electroacupuncture (EA) intervention on nerve reinnervation and regeneration following injury, a model of sciatic nerve injury (SNI) was first established using SOD1G93A mice, and early electroacupuncture (EA) intervention was conducted at Baihui (DU20), and bilateral Zusanli (ST36). The results revealed that EA increased the Sciatic nerve Functional Index, the structural integrity of the gastrocnemius muscles, and the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers, as well as up-regulated the expression of acetylcholinesterase and facilitated the co-location of α7 nicotinic acetate choline receptors and α-actinin. Overall, these results suggested that EA can promote the repair and regeneration of injured nerves and delay NMJ degeneration in SOD1G93A-SNI mice. Moreover, analysis of the cerebral cortex demonstrated that EA alleviated cortical motor neuron damage in SOD1G93A mice, potentially attributed to the inhibition of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes pathway and the release of interferon-β suppressing the activation of natural killer cells and the secretion of interferon-γ, thereby further inhibiting microglial activation and the expression of inflammatory factors. In summary, EA delayed the degeneration of NMJ and mitigated the loss of cortical motor neurons, thus delaying disease onset, accompanied by alleviation of muscle atrophy and improvements in motor function in SOD1G93A mice.

Should acupuncture become a complementary therapy in the treatment of uterine fibroid: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background

Uterine fibroids (UFs) are the most common benign tumors in women of reproductive age. The most effective treatment is myomectomy, but there is no long-term or low-invasive treatment option exists. Acupuncture can be used to treat UFs in a variety of ways. However, there is no meta-analytic synthesis including valid data that explored the efficacy of acupuncture for UFs.

Objective

To assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for treating UFs.

Methods

The PRISMA 2020 checklist was used. We identified and extracted the trials through may 2023 from six databases. The quality of the trials was assessed using the risk of bias (2.0). Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software, and it was synthesized using the random-effects model if the included studies were in high heterogeneity. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis were used if necessary.

Results

A total of 1,035 trials were identified, of which 11 were included in the review and meta-analysis. In terms of acupuncture scheme design and fibroid-related symptoms, the trials are highly heterogeneous. All 11 trials have reported acupuncture types, with traditional acupuncture and electroacupuncture being the more representative subgroups. A qualitative review of existing evidence shows that acupuncture has no serious adverse reaction on UFs. Meta-analysis shows that acupuncture can effectively reduce the volume of UFs (MD - 3.89, 95% CI - 5.23 to - 2.56, P < 0.00001) or uterine volume (MD - 16.22, 95% CI - 19.89 To - 12.55, p < 0.00001), reduce the score of fibroid symptoms (MD - 3.03, 95% CI - 3.45 to - 2.60, p < 0.00001), improve the treatment efficiency (RR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.13 to 0.25, p < 0.00001), and likely do not affect the estrogen level.

Toxic effects of subacute exposure to acrylamide on motor endplates of the gastrocnemius in rats

Acrylamide (ACR) is a recognized toxin that is known to induce neurotoxicity in humans and experimental animals. This study aimed to investigate the toxic effects of subacute exposure of the motor endplate (MEP) of the gastrocnemius in rats to ACR. All rats were randomly divided into control, 9, 18, and 36 mg/kg ACR groups, and ACR was administered by gastric gavage for 21 days. The behavioral tests were performed weekly. On the 22nd day, the wet weight of the gastrocnemius was measured. The changes in muscle fiber structure, nerve endings, and MEP in the gastrocnemius were examined by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and gold chloride staining. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) content in the gastrocnemius was detected by AChE staining. The expression of AChE and calcitonin gene-related peptide was detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot. Rats exposed to ACR showed a significant increase in gait scores and hind limb splay distance compared with the control group, and the wet weight of the gastrocnemius was reduced, HE staining showed that the muscle fiber structure of the gastrocnemius became thin and the arrangement was dense with nuclear aggregation, gold chloride staining showed that nerve branches decreased and became thin, nerve fibers became short and light, the number of MEPs was decreased, the staining became light, and the structure was not clear. AChE staining showed that the number of MEPs was significantly reduced after exposure to ACR, the shape became small, and the AChE content decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis results of the expression levels of AChE and CGRP showed a decreasing trend as compared to the control group with increasing ACR exposure dose. The reduction in protein levels may be the mechanism by which ACR has a toxic effect on the MEP in the gastrocnemius of rats.

Non-invasive Assessment of Changes in Muscle Injury by Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography: An Experimental Study in Contusion Model

The present study investigated the potential of ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) in assessment of muscle stiffness in muscle injury. SWE was performed on the injured muscle in 30 New Zealand rabbits that were randomly assigned to three groups: the contusion group, which was not treated with an efficient therapeutic strategy after muscle injury; the treatment group, which was treated with a therapeutic scheme after muscle injury; and the healthy group, which was not injured and served as a control. Both the mean Young's modulus (E_mean) and the maximum Young's modulus (E_max) were obtained pre-injury and 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 28 d post-injury. At these time points, a rabbit in each group was randomly selected for biopsy for histopathological observation as well as comparison with Young's modulus. Eventually, all muscle tissues were collected for histologic analysis of collagen fiber formation. The contusion group had the highest Young's modulus, followed by the treatment group and then the healthy group (p < 0.05). In both the contusion and treatment groups, E_mean and E_max gradually increased within 1-3 d after injury, followed by a gradual decrease. Compared with the healthy group, histopathologic analysis of the contusion and treatment groups revealed the myofibril destruction process, inflammatory reaction and myofibril regeneration. The amount of collagen fibers in the contusion group was maximal compared with the treated and healthy groups (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). There were more collagen fibers in the treatment group than in the healthy group (p = 0.003). The abundance of collagen fibers was positively correlated with the value of Young's modulus (E_mean: r = 0.706, p < 0.001; E_max: r = 0.761, p < 0.001). Thus, SWE can be used to detect pathologic changes in injured muscle and to monitor therapeutic effects.

Effects of Zusanli and Ashi Acupoint Electroacupuncture on Repair of Skeletal Muscle and Neuromuscular Junction in a Rabbit Gastrocnemius Contusion Model

Objective. To explore the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at ST36 (EA-ST36) and at Ashi acupoints (EA-Ashi) on skeletal muscle repair. Methods. Seventy-five rabbits were randomly divided into five groups: normal, contusion, EA-Ashi, EA-ST36, and EA at Ashi acupoints and ST36 (EA-AS). EA (0.4 mA, 2 Hz, 15 min) was applied after an acute gastrocnemius contusion. The morphology of myofibers and neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) and expressions of growth differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), Neuregulin 1 (NGR1), and muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) were assessed 7, 14, and 28 days after contusion. Results. Compared with that in contusion group, there was an increase in the following respective parameters in treatment groups: the number and diameter of myofibers, the mean staining area, and continuities of NMJs. A comparison of EA-Ashi and EA-ST36 groups indicated that average myofiber diameter, mean staining area of NMJs, and expressions of AChE and NRG1 were higher in EA-Ashi group, whereas expression of GDF-8 decreased on day 7. However, increases in myofiber numbers, expressions of MuSK and AChE, as well as decreases in GDF-8 expression, and the discontinuities were observed in EA-ST36 group on the 28th day. Conclusion. Both EA-ST36 and EA-Ashi promoted myofiber regeneration and restoration of NMJs. EA-Ashi was more effective at earlier stages, whereas EA-ST36 played a more important role at later stages.