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. 2021 Feb 9:2021:8214052.
doi: 10.1155/2021/8214052. eCollection 2021.

Acupuncture at Back-Shu and Front-Mu Acupoints Prevents Gastric Ulcer by Regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF- κ B Signaling Pathway

Li Li  1   2 , Hao Zang  2 , Yang Jiang  1 , Yue Zhang  3 , Shuangshuang Mu  3 , Jiazhen Cao  1 , Ying Qu  4 , Zhaohui Wang  1 , Wei Qi  5
Affiliations

Acupuncture at Back-Shu and Front-Mu Acupoints Prevents Gastric Ulcer by Regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF- κ B Signaling Pathway

Li Li et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. .

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the preventive effects of acupuncture at back-shu and front-mu acupoints on rats with restraint water-immersion stress (RWIS)-induced gastric ulcer.

Methods: Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into four groups for 10 days of treatment as follows: the normal group received no treatment; the model group received RWIS-induced gastric ulcer; the omeprazole group was administered omeprazole orally every 2 days; and the electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture at the RN12 and BL21 acupoints every 2 days. After 10 days of treatment, except for the normal group, all rats were induced with gastric ulcer by RWIS for 3 h. The ulcer index (UI), ulcer inhibition rate, and histopathological score were calculated. We determined the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 in serum, and the activities of myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in serum and gastric tissues. Protein expression of MyD88, nuclear factor (NF)-κB (p65), and toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 was quantified in gastric tissues.

Results: The electroacupuncture and omeprazole groups were equivalent in terms of UI, ulcer inhibition rate, and histopathological score. The serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly lower in the electroacupuncture group compared with the omeprazole group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, there were significant changes in the levels of NO, MPO, GSH-Px, and MDA in all other groups, while the expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB p65 in gastric tissue decreased significantly in the electroacupuncture group. The expression of TLR4 was substantially lower in the electroacupuncture group compared with the omeprazole group.

Conclusion: Acupuncture at back-shu and front-mu acupoints played a role in preventing gastric ulcer by inhibiting extracellular signals, stimulating kinases in serum and gastric tissues, and activating the inhibition of the TLR4 signaling pathway.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The location of the RN12 and BL21 acupoints in the rat.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Macroscopic images of representative gastric tissues from each treatment group. (a) Normal. (b) Model. (c) Omeprazole. (d) Electroacupuncture.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Representative histopathological photos of gastric tissue sections from each group. (a) Normal. (b) Model. (c) Omeprazole. (d) Electroacupuncture.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Histopathological lesion scores in each group. aModel group compared with the normal group (P < 0.05); bomeprazole group compared with the model group (P < 0.05); celectroacupuncture group compared with the model group (P < 0.05).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Levels of five oxidative stress indicators in serum (left panels) and gastric tissue (right panels) in each group. aModel group compared with the normal group (P < 0.05); bomeprazole group compared with the model group (P < 0.05); celectroacupuncture group compared with the model group (P < 0.05); delectroacupuncture group compared with the omeprazole group (P < 0.05).
Figure 6
Figure 6
The expression of two inflammatory factors in serum in each group. aModel group compared with the normal group (P < 0.05); bomeprazole group compared with the model group (P < 0.05); celectroacupuncture group compared with the model group (P < 0.05); delectroacupuncture group compared with the omeprazole group (P < 0.05).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Western blotting showing representative bands of three members of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway in each group. Nor: normal group; Mod: model group; OMZ: omeprazole group; EA: electroacupuncture group.
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