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Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine >

2025 , Vol. 45 >Issue 2: 335 - 347

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20220419.001

Original articles

Efficacy of electro-acupuncture at “Weizhong” (BL40) on macrophage polarization in rats with injured lumbar multifidus

  • Yuan TIAN ,
  • He BU ,
  • Tieshan WANG ,
  • Dongliang YANG ,
  • Wei ZHANG ,
  • Tong LIU ,
  • Li ZHANG ,
  • Zejun HUO
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  • 1 Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
    2 Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Baotou 014030, China
    3 Beijing Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
    4 Cangzhou Medical College, Cangzhou 061000, China
    5 the Fifth College of Clinical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
    6 Department of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Guangdong Second Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510095, China
    7 Department of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia 014010, China
    8 Department of Chinese Medicine, Peking University 3rd Hospital, Beijing 100191, China

Received date: 2022-01-22

  Accepted date: 2022-03-17

  Online published: 2022-04-19

Supported by

Natural Science Foundation-funded Project: Regulation of Autophagy by Electroacupuncture at Weizhong Point on the Proliferation of Multifidus Muscle Satellite Cells(81574052);Exosomes Arounding Acupoints Deliver miR-206 to Mediate Insulin - like Growth Factor 1/Phosphatidylinositol 3 - Kinase/Protein Kinase B Pathway and Regulate Muscle Satellite Cell Differentiation: Mechanism of Electroacupuncture in Promoting Rehabilization of Lumbar Multifidus Muscles Injury in Model Rats(82174482);Major Program of Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region: Study on the Eeffect of Pediatric Tuina Combined with Acupuncture on the Intestinal Microflora Structure in Children with Provisional Tic Disorder and its Therapeutic Mechanism(201802127)

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of electroacupuncture in rats with bupivacaine-induced lumbar multifidus injury and its underlying regulatory mechanism on macrophage polarization.

METHODS: A total of seventy-two Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into control, model, and electroacupuncture groups. Forty-eight rats categorized in model groups were injected 0.5% bupivacaine (BPVC) into the lumbar multifidus at the L4-L5 segment. Rats in the electroacupuncture groups received the intervention for 1, 2, 3 and 5 d, respectively. The degree of macrophage infiltration and change of M1/M2 polarization were observed based on hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of electroacupuncture. Meanwhile, exosomal miRNA-sequencing and bioinformatics analysis predicted the pathways and biological processes related to inflammatory response and macrophage polarization regulated by electroacupuncture intervention.

RESULTS: BPVC injection induced the infiltration of local macrophages at the L4-L5 segment of lumbar multifidus. Comparison of mean IOD values with 2 d and 5 d post injury revealed the highest expression of CD68+ macrophages on day 3 post injury by immunohistochemistry. (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). Compared with the model group, the cell counts of iNOs+ CD68+ M1-macrophages were lower in the electroacupuncture group, while the positive percent of CD163+ CD206+ M2-macrophages was higher in the electroacupuncture group, on day 3 after BPVC injection (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, the results of sequencing and bioinformatic analysis suggested that exosomal miRNAs were involved in the EA regulating macrophage polarization.

CONCLUSIONS: Electroacupuncture can promote macrophage polarization to reduce inflammation following lumbar multifidus muscular injury.

Key words： electro-acupuncture; muscle repair; macrophage polarization; inflammation

Cite this article

Yuan TIAN , He BU , Tieshan WANG , Dongliang YANG , Wei ZHANG , Tong LIU , Li ZHANG , Zejun HUO . Efficacy of electro-acupuncture at “Weizhong” (BL40) on macrophage polarization in rats with injured lumbar multifidus[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2025 , 45(2) : 335 -347 . DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20220419.001

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