最新刊期
卷 51 ， 期 4 ， 2026
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the dynamic compensatory characteristics of the leptomeningeal collateral （LMC） circulation in the affected hemisphere of rats with right middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO）， and to investigate the effects of acupuncture on LMC compensatory efficiency and neuronal function in the cortical M5 region. Additionally， to elucidate the neuroprotective mechanism of acupuncture by exploring the temporal pattern of LMC compensation.MethodsThis study was divided into 2 parts. Part 1： 4 male SD rats were randomly selected for monitoring blood perfusion in the affected LMC and cortical M5 region before ischemia， immediately after ischemia， 3 h and 12 h post-ischemia using laser speckle contrast imaging. Part 2： 90 male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation， model， sham acupuncture， acupuncture， and butylphthalide groups， with 18 rats in each group. Three hours after modeling， acupuncture was applied to bilateral “Neiguan” （PC6） and “Shuigou” （GV26） or non-acupoints （3 mm below the starting point of bilateral axillary midline and 3 mm beside the apex of coccyx） for 30 min. In the butylphthalide group， butylphthalide injection （2.25 mg/kg） was injected into the tail vein once 3 h after successful modeling. Laser speckle blood flow imaging was used to monitor the changes of blood flow perfusion and LMC vascular diameter in LMC and cortical M5 region at different time points before ischemia， immediately after ischemia and 12 h after ischemia. The percentage of cerebral infarction volume was detected by TTC staining. Modified neuropathy symptom score （mNSS） was used to evaluate neurological function. The grip strength of the contralateral upper limb of the rat was detected by the rat grip tester. The ultrastructure of neurons and mitochondria in the M5 region of the affected cortex was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The positive expression of neuronal nuclear protein （NeuN） in the M5 region of the affected cortex was detected by immunofluorescence staining. The content of adenosine triphosphate （ATP） in the cortex of the affected side was detected by colorimetry.ResultsCompared with the pre-ischemia state， the blood perfusion in the affected LMC and cortical M5 region were decreased immediately after ischemia （P<0.01）. Compared with the immediate ischemia state， the blood perfusion was increased at 3 h post-ischemia （P<0.01， P<0.05）. Immediately after ischemia， compared with the sham operation group， the ratio of blood perfusion compared to the baseline level of LMC and cortical M5 in all groups was decreased （P<0.01）. At 12 h post-ischemia， the ratio of blood perfusion compared to the baseline level in the LMC and M5 region， and the grip strength of the contralateral upper limb were decreased （P<0.01） in the model group， while the mNSS score and the percentage of cerebral infarction volume were increased （P<0.01）. The ultrastructure of neurons and mitochondria in the M5 region of the affected cortex was seriously damaged， and the positive expression of NeuN and the content of ATP in the M5 region were decreased （P<0.01）. At 12 h post-ischemia and compared with the model group， the LMC and M5 perfusion ratio， grip strength and the NeuN positive expression and ATP content in the M5 region were significantly increased （P<0.01） in the acupuncture and butylphthalide groups， rather than in the sham acupuncture group， whereas the mNSS score and the percentage of cerebral infarction volume were decreased （P<0.01， P<0.05） in the acupuncture and butylphthalide groups， rather than in the sham acupuncture group. Meanwhile， the ultrastructural damage of neurons and mitochondria was milder in both acupuncture and butylphthalide groups.ConclusionThe compensatory efficacy of the affected LMC in MCAO rats increases through blood flow redistribution at 3 h after ischemia， but declines at 12 h. Acupuncture can enhance the LMC compensatory efficiency， improve cortical M5 blood perfusion， and optimize mitochondrial structure and functional homeostasis， thereby exerting neuroprotective effects.关键词：Acute ischemic stroke;Acupuncture;Leptomeningeal collateral;Neuron21|102|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of electroacupuncture （EA） on the insulin receptor substrate （IRS）-1/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （AKT） signaling pathway and glucose transporters （GLUTs） in the hippocampus of rats with learning and memory impairment after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury， so as to explore the mechanism of EA in improving learning and memory impairment in rats with post-stroke cognitive impairment.MethodsFifteen rats were randomly selected from 100 male Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats as the sham operation group， and the remaining 85 rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion （MCAO/R） modeling using the suture method. Successfully modeled rats were divided into the model， EA， inhibitor， EA+inhibitor， and donepezil groups， with 15 rats in each group， in which， rats in the inhibitor group and EA+inhibitor group were given an intracerebroventricular injection of the pathway inhibitor LY294002 （10 mmol/L， 10 μL） into the left lateral ventricle 30 min before modeling. Rats in the EA group and EA+inhibitor group received EA intervention at “Shenting” （GV24） and “Baihui” （GV20） acupoints， 30 min per session， once a day. Rats in the donepezil group were given donepezil by gavage at a dose of 0.92 mg·kg-1·d-1， once a day. Rats in the treatment group were given continuous intervention for 14 d. Zea-Longa scoring and novel object recognition test were used to evaluate neurological damage and learning and memory ability； TTC staining was used to assess cerebral infarct volume； HE staining was used to observe the pathological morphology changes of hippocampal tissue in the infarcted area； a glucose detection kit was used to measure hippocampal glucose content； qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expressions of IRS-1， PI3K， and AKT in the hippocampus； Western blot was used to detect the protein expressions of IRS-1， PI3K， phosphorylated （p）- PI3K， AKT， p-AKT， GLUT1， and GLUT3 in the hippocampus.ResultsCompared with the sham operation group， the model group showed sparse hippocampal cells with pyknosis and hyperchromatism， increased neurological deficit score， cerebral infarct volume， and recognition index to novel objects （P<0.01）， decreased glucose content （P<0.01）， significantly up-regulated protein and mRNA expressions of IRS-1 in the hippocampus （P<0.01）， and significantly down-regulated p-PI3K/PI3K ratio， p-AKT/AKT ratio， mRNA expressions of PI3K and AKT， and protein expressions of GLUT1 and GLUT3 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the EA group and donepezil group showed neatly arranged hippocampal cells with clear outlines， and the other indicators were reversed （P<0.01， P<0.05）. Compared with the EA group， the EA+inhibitor group showed a reduction in the number of neurons with a small amount of vacuolation and necrosis， and the reversal effects of EA on all indicators except the neurological deficit score were weakened （P<0.05， P<0.01）.ConclusionEA at GV24 and GV20 may improve the learning and memory function of MCAO/R rats by activating the IRS-1/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to inhibit insulin resistance and enhance the glucose transport capacity of neurons.关键词：Stroke;Cognitive impairment;Electroacupuncture;IRS-1/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway;Glucose transporters;Insulin resistance99|110|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of electroacupuncture （EA） on the trimethylamine-N-oxide （TMAO）-high mobility group box 1 protein （HMGB1）/NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 （NLRP3） pathway in cerebral ischemia （CI） rats， so as to explore its mechanism in brain-gut co-treatment.MethodsMale SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation， model and EA groups， with 15 rats in each group. The CI model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery （MCAO）. EA was applied to “Baihui” （GV20）， “Tianshu” （ST25）， “Shangjuxu” （ST37）， and “Dazhui” （GV14） for 20 min， once every other day for 14 d. Neurological deficit was assessed using the Zea-Longa score. The cerebral infarction volume was detected by TTC staining， the pathological changes in the ischemic cerebral cortex and colon tissues were observed by HE staining. The contents of TMAO， HMGB1， NLRP3， interleukin （IL）-1β， zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1）， and Occludin in serum， colon， and ischemic cerebral cortex were detected by ELISA. The protein and mRNA expression levels and positive expression of HMGB1， NLRP3， IL-1β， ZO-1 and Occludin in colon tissue and ischemic cerebral cortex were detected by Western blot， real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR， and immunofluorescence staining， respectively.ResultsAfter modeling and compared with the sham operation group， the Zea-Longa score and the percentage of cerebral infarction volume， the contents of TMAO， HMGB1， NLRP3 and IL-1β in serum， colon and ischemic cerebral cortex， the expression levels and positive expressions of HMGB1， NLRP3， IL-1β protein and mRNA in colon and ischemic cerebral cortex were significantly increased （P<0.01） in the model group， while the contents of ZO-1 and Occludin， and the expression levels and positive expressions of ZO-1， Occludin protein and mRNA were decreased （P<0.01）. After 14 days’ treatment， all the increased and decreased levels of the indexes mentioned above were reversed in the EA group relevant to the model group （P<0.01）. HE staining showed disordered arrangement of neurons in the ischemic cerebral cortex， loosened structure， widened intercellular spaces， with inflammatory cell infiltration； as well as mucosal damage in colonic tissues， disordered glandular arrangement， reduced number of goblet cells， accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration in the model group， which were relatively milder in the EA group.ConclusionEA mediating brain-gut co-treatment can reduce the content of intestinal flora metabolite TMAO， down-regulate the expressions of HMGB1/NLRP3 in intestinal tissue， and reduce peripheral inflammatory factors， thereby alleviating the inflammatory response in brain tissue of MCAO rats.关键词：Cerebral ischemia;Electroacupuncture;Rat;Brain-gut co-treatment;Inflammatory response;TMAO-HMGB1/NLRP3 pathway19|205|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of moxibustion on the lipid metabolism， aortic arch and mitochondrial structure， PTEN-induced kinase 1 （PINK1）/Parkin signaling pathway， and the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins in atherosclerotic （AS） mice， so as to explore its potential mechanisms underlying prevention and treatment of AS.MethodsTen C57BL/6J mice were fed with normal chow and used as the control group. Thirty ApoE-/- mice were fed with high-fat chow to establish the AS model， and randomly divided into model， moxibustion， and moxibustion+Mdivi-1（mitochondrial fission inhibitor） groups， with 10 mice in each group. For mice in the moxibustion group， moxibustion was applied to “Danzhong”（CV17）， “Shenque”（CV8）， and bilateral “Neiguan”（PC6） and “Xuehai”（SP10） for 30 min. The mice in the moxibustion + Mdivi-1 group received intraperitoneal injection of Mdivi-1 （1.2 mg·kg-1·d-1） 30 min before each session of moxibustion， and those of the control， model and moxibustion groups received equal volume of lysosomal injection. The intervention was conducted once daily， 5 d a week for 12 consecutive weeks. The contents of serum total cholesterol （TC）， low density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， high density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） and triglyceride （TG） were measured by using an automatic biochemical analyzer. Histopathologial changes of the aorta arch were observed by H.E. staining， and the mitochondrial structure of the aorta was observed using a transmission electron microscopy. The expression levels of PINK1， Parkin， Bax， Bcl-2， and Caspase3 protein in the aortic tissue were detected using Western blot， and the immunoactivity of mitochondrial cytochrome C （Cyt C） in the aortic tissue was determined using immunofluorescence staining.ResultsCompared with the control group， the contents of serum TC， TG and LDL-C， expression levels of PINK1， Parkin， Bax and Caspase3 protein， and the immunoactivity of Parkin and Cyt C were significantly increased （P<0.01， P<0.05）， while the content of serum HDL-C level and the expression of Bcl-2 protein notably decreased （P<0.01） in the model group. In comparison with the model group， the moxibustion group showed a significant decrease in the contents of serum TC， TG and LDL-C， expression levels of Bax and Caspase3， and immunoactivity of Cyt C （P<0.01， P<0.05）， and a striking increase in the expressions of PINK1， Parkin， and Bcl-2 protein and immunoactivity of Parkin（P<0.01）. After intraperitoneal injection of Mdivi-1， the effects of moxibustion disappeared in lowering the levels of TC， TG and LDL-C， the expressions of Bax， Caspase3 and the immunoactivity of Cyt C and in up-regulating the expressions of PINK1， Parkin， Bcl-2 and the immunoactivity of Parkin. Morphological observation showed uneven intima of the aortic arch in the model group， with plaque proliferation， hyperplasia of fibrous tissue or smooth muscle tissue， swollen mitochondria with matrix dissolution， and reduction in the number of cristae accompanied by vacuoles， etc； while in the moxibustion group， morphological observation showed relatively regular lumen of the aortic arch， with less endometrial degeneration and fewer swelling endothelial cells， and a smaller amount of plaque formation and some foam cells， slightly swollen mitochondria with partially dissolved matrix and secondary lysosomes； and the morphological observation showed shedding of local endothelial cells of the aortic arch， with thickened intima， proliferated smooth muscle tissue， and foam cells within the plaque； slightly swollen mitochondria， reduction in the number of cristae， and partially dissolved matrix in the moxibustion + Mdivi-1 group.ConclusionMoxibustion can improve the lipid metabolism level， relieve pathological injury of the thoracic aorta， restore mitochondrial structure and function in ApoE-/- AS mice， which may be related to its functions in reducing Cyt C metastasis， and inhibiting apoptosis by regulating PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway.关键词：Moxibustion;Atherosclerosis;PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway;Mitochondria;Apoptosis20|60|0更新时间：2026-04-17
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Effect of moxibustion on the PINK1/Parkin pathway and mitophagy in rats with rheumatoid arthritis AI导读
摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of moxibustion at “Shenshu” （BL23） and “Zusanli” （ST36） on the PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 （PINK1）/E3 ubiquitin ligase （Parkin） pathway and mitophagy in rats with rheumatoid arthritis （RA）， so as to explore its possible mechanism in improving RA.MethodsTwenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into normal， model， moxibustion， and medication groups， with 6 rats in each group. The RA model was established by Freund’s complete adjuvant solution injection combined with freezing and wind-cold dampness method. Suspended moxibustion was applied to BL23 and ST36 for 20 min， once daily for 15 consecutive days. Methotrexate （0.35 mg/kg） was administered via oral gavage twice a week for 15 consecutive days. The morphological changes of mitochondria in synovial tissue were observed by transmission electron microscopy. JC-1 staining was used to detect the level of mitochondrial membrane potential in synovial tissue. The ROS level in serum of rats was detected by fluorescence probe method. The content of ATP in synovial tissue was detected by luciferase assay. The co-localization of mitochondrial outer membrane translocation enzyme 20 （TOMM20） and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 （LC3） B in synovial tissue was observed by immunofluorescence. The expression levels of Beclin1， selective autophagy adaptor protein （p62）， PINK1 and Parkin and the ratio of LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ in synovial tissue were detected by Western blot.ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed swollen mitochondria， disordered structure， disrupted cristae， and increased autophagosomes in synovial tissue； the mitochondrial membrane potential level and ATP content， and the protein expression level of p62 were decreased （P<0.01）， while the serum ROS level， the co-localization expression of TOMM20 and LC3B in synovial tissue， and the protein expression levels of Beclin1， PINK1， and Parkin and the ratio of LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ were increased （P<0.01）. In contrast to the model group， the increased and decreased indexes mentioned above were reversed （P<0.05， P<0.01） in both moxibustion and medication groups； and the mitochondrial membrane potential was obviously higher （P<0.05） in the medication group than that in the moxibustion group.ConclusionMoxibustion at BL23 and ST36 can ameliorate mitochondrial structural damage and reduce the level of mitochondrial autophagy in RA model rats， which may be related to its function in inhibiting the abnormal activation of PINK1/Parkin pathway.关键词：Moxibustion;Rheumatoid arthritis;PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway;Mitochondria;Autophagy17|5|0更新时间：2026-04-17 - 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of electroacupuncture （EA） on the regulation of microglia polarization in anterior cingulate cortex （ACC） by α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor （α7nAChR）-Toll-like receptor 4（TLR4）/nuclear factor kappa B（NF- κB） signaling pathway in chronic inflammatory pain-depression comorbidity （CIPDC） rats， so as to explore its central “analgesic-antidepressant” mechanism underlying improvement of CIPDC.MethodsThirty-six adult male SD rats were randomly divided into blank， CIPDC model and EA groups， with 12 rats in each group. The CIPDC model was established by plantar injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant. On the 14th day after modeling， EA （1.5 Hz， 1 mA） was applied to bilateral “Hegu” （LI4） and “Taichong” （LR3） for 20 min， once a day for 14 consecutive days. The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold （MWT） and thermal paw withdrawal latency （TWL） were detected at the 0， 14th， and 28th day after modeling. The open field test （OFT）， forced swim test （FST） and sucrose preference test were used to evaluate the rats’ depression-like behavior. Hematoxylin-eosin （H.E.） staining was used to observe the histopathological changes of ACC. The contents of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin （IL）-1β， IL-6， IL-4 and IL-10 in the ACC tissue were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Double immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the co-expression of M1 microglia marker CD86 and ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 （Iba-1）， and M2 microglia marker CD206 and Iba-1 in the ACC tissue. The protein expression levels of α7nAChR， TLR4， myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 （MyD88）， NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65 in the ACC tissue were detected by Western blot.ResultsCompared with the blank group， the MWT， TWL， sucrose preference rate， total distance traveled and time spent in the center zone of OFT were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and the immobility time of FST was obviously increased （P<0.05） in the model group. In comparison with the model group， the MWT， TWL， sucrose preference rate， total distance traveled and time spent in the center zone of OFT were apparently increased （P<0.05）， while immobility time of FST was strikingly decreased （P<0.05） in the EA group， suggesting an amelioration of pain and depression-like behavior after EA. The contents of TNF- α， IL-1β and IL-6， immunofluorescence area of CD86/Iba-1 and the expression levels of TLR4， MyD88， p-NF-κB p65， and the ratio of p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 were significantly higher （P<0.05）， and the contents of IL-4 and IL-10， CD206/Iba-1 immunofluorescence-positive area and the expression level of α7nAChR were significantly lower （P<0.05） in the model group than in the blank group. Following EA intervention， the increased levels of TNF-α， IL-1β and IL-6， CD86/Iba-1 immunofluorescence-positive area and the expression levels of TLR4， MyD88， p-NF-κB p65， and the ratio of p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 and the decreased levels of IL-4 and IL-10， immunofluorescence area of CD206/Iba-1 and the expression level of α7nAChR after modelling were all reversed （P<0.05）. H.E. staining showed disordered arrangement of tissues， neuronal cells shrinking， reduced number and deeply stained pyramidal cells， with vacuoles and nerve fiber tangles appeared in the interstitial spaces in the ACC of model group， which was relatively milder in the injury degree in the EA group， including a small number of neurons being deeply stained and smaller space between neurons and tissues.ConclusionEA can exert central “analgesic-antidepressant” effect in CIPDC rats， which may be related to its functions in alleviating central inflammatory response， reducing neuronal damage and promoting microglial polarization mediated by α7nAChR-TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling in the ACC tissue.关键词：Electroacupuncture;Chronic inflammatory pain and depression comorbidity;α7nAChR-TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway;Polarization of microglia;Anterior cingulate cortex;Inflammatory reaction45|134|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of scalp-acupoint cluster puncture on hippocampal synaptic plasticity and the activity of cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP）/protein kinase A （PKA）/cAMP response element-binding protein （CREB） signaling pathway in APP/PS1 mice， so as to explore its possible mechanism underlying improvement of Alzheimer’s disease （AD）.MethodsMale APP/PS1 transgenic mice were randomly divided into model， acupuncture， and sham acupuncture groups， with 12 mice in each group. In addition， 12 male C57BL/6 mice with the same genetic background were used as the control group. The mice of the acupuncture group received cluster-needle stimulation at “Baihui”（GV20） and 2 spots （2 mm to GV20 on the left and right sides）， and those of the sham acupuncture group received cluster-needle stimulation at the bilateral hypochondrial non-acupoints. Following insertion， the needles were twisted rapidly for about 1 min， then retained for 30 min in the acupuncture group. The intervention was conducted once a day， for a total of 28 d. The Morris water maze test and Barnes maze test were used to evaluate the mouse’s learning-memory and cognitive ability. The immunohistochemical staining was employed to detect amyloid-β （Aβ） deposition in the hippocampus. The Nissl staining was used to observe the changes of the number of neurons in the hippocampal CA1 area. A transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe the ultrastructure of hippocampal synapses. The Golgi staining was used to observe the dendritic spine density of hippocampal neurons. The protein expressions of cAMP， PKA， CREB， phosphorylated （p）-CREB， postsynaptic density protein 95 （PSD-95）， and synapsin Ⅰ （SYN1） was detected using Western blot.ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed a significant increase in the escape latency of Morris water maze test and the latency to enter the target hole of Barnes maze test and the percentage of Aβ-positive area （P<0.01， P<0.001）， and a striking reduction in the number of target platform crossings in the Morris water maze test， residence time in the target quadrant of the escape box and the number of correct hole entries in the Barnes maze test， number of neurons， dendritic spine density， and the expression levels of cAMP， PKA， PSD-95， SYN1 and p-CREB/CREB ratio （P<0.01， P<0.001）. After the intervention， both the increase and decrease of the indexes mentioned above were reversed in the acupuncture group （P<0.01， P<0.001）， but not in the sham acupuncture group. Morphological results showed irregular shapes and disordered arrangement of the hippocampal neurons with shrunken nucleoli， atrophied mitochondria， broken mitochondrial cristae， decreased synapses and vesicles in the model group， which was relatively milder in the injury degree， for example， increase in the number of synapses and vesicles， relatively complete mitochondrial cristae， etc.， in the acupuncture group.ConclusionScalp-acupoint cluster puncture can improve the learning-memory ability in APP/PS1 mice， which may be associated with its functions in enhancing the hippocampal synaptic plasticity and up-regulating the cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling.关键词：Scalp-acupoint cluster puncture;Alzheimer’s disease;cAMP/PKA/CREB Pathway;Synaptic plasticity28|82|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo explore the synergistic inhibitory effect of moxibustion and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase （MEK）/ extracellular regulated protein kinases （ERK） pathway inhibitor Trametinib on tumor growth in breast cancer tumor-bearing mice and to analyze its underlying mechanisms.MethodsFifty female BALB/C mice were randomly divided into blank control， model， inhibitor （Trametinib）， direct moxibustion and combination （Trametinib+moxibustion） groups， with 10 mice in each group. Injection of 4T1 cells was used to establish breast cancer tumor-bearing mouse model. Both the blank control and model groups received gavage of 0.1 mL of normal saline once daily. In the inhibitor group， Trametinib solution was administered by gastric gavage at 3 mg/kg， once a day for 21 d. For mice of the direct moxibustion group， moxibustion was applied at bilateral “Zusanli” （ST36）， 2 cones per acupoint， once every 2 days for 21 d. The combination group was treated with administration of Trametinib （once daily） by gastric gavage and direct moxibustion （once every 2 d） for 21 d. Body weight and tumor volumes were measured in mice. The tumor weight was quantified and the tumor inhibition rate was calculated. Histopathological alterations in tumor tissues were observed after H.E. staining. The protein expression levels of phosphorylated （p）-MEK， p-ERK， myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog （c-Myc）， and programmed cell death ligand 1 （PD-L1） in the tumor tissues were assessed using immunohistochemical staining and Western blot， separately. Additionally， the mRNA expression levels of c-Myc and PD-L1 in the tumor tissue were detected using fluorescence quantitative real-time PCR.ResultsAfter the intervention， compared with the blank control group， the body mass of mice was decreased evidently in both the model and inhibitor groups （P<0.01）， rather than in the direct moxibustion and combination groups. Compared with the model group， the body mass of mice was obviously increased （P<0.01）， and the tumor volume and weight were obviously decreased in each treatment group （P<0.01， P<0.05）. The tumor inhibition rate was 35.19% in the inhibitor group， 30.27% in the direct moxibustion group， and 50.67% in the combination group. The protein expression levels of p-MEK， p-ERK， c-Myc and PD-L1， and the mRNA expression levels of c-Myc and PD-L1 in the tumor tissues were significantly decreased （P<0.01） in each treatment group relatively to the model group. The therapeutic effect of the combination group was significantly superior to that of the inhibitor group in increasing the body mass， and to that of the inhibitor and direct moxibustion groups in reducing the tumor volume， tumor weight， and in down-regulating the immunoactivity and protein and mRNA expressions of c-Myc and PD-L1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The therapeutic effect of the combination group was also strikingly superior to that of the direct moxibustion group in down-regulating the immunoactivity and expressions of p-MEK and p-ERK （P<0.01， P<0.05）. The effect of the direct moxibustion group was superior to that of the inhibitor group in increasing the body mass and up-regulating the immunoactivity and protein expressions of p-MEK and p-ERK （P<0.01， P<0.05）. H.E. staining showed that the tumor cells in model group were irregularly arranged and shaped， with obvious cell atypia and enlarged nuclei， but those in the 3 treatment groups displayed obvious cribriform tumor cell degeneration， with more cell debris and smaller density. The degeneration of tumor cells in the combination group was the most obvious.ConclusionMoxibustion can enhance the anti-tumor effect of Trametinib by inhibiting the phosphorylation of MEK/ERK pathway and the downstream c-Myc/PD-L1 axis in mice with breast cancer， which provides an experimental basis for the adjuvant targeting therapy of breast cancer with moxibustion.关键词：Moxibustion;Breast cancer;MEK/ERK pathway;Trametinib;Synergistic anticancer;Programmed cell death ligand 195|181|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of ginger-salt-partitioned moxibustion on bladder excitability and bladder ATP-sensitive potassium （KATP） channel in detrusor hyperreflexia （DH） rats.MethodsFemale SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation， model， moxibustion and inhibition groups （n=8 in each group）. Thorax （T） 10 spinal cord transection was performed by surgery. Ginger-salt-partitioned moxibustion was applied to “Shenque” （CV8） for 20 min， once daily for 14 consecutive days. Rats of the inhibition group received intraperitoneal injection of glibenclamide （10 μg/kg） 15 min before moxibustion intervention. Urodynamic tests were performed after treatment. The detrusor myoelectric activities （frequency and amplitude） were recorded by using Powerlab multichannel physiograph. Primary detrusor muscle cells were extracted and identified by immunofluorescence staining. The changes in KATP channel currents and intracellular Ca2+ dynamics of bladder detrusor muscle cells were detected using patch-clamp and calcium imaging techniques.ResultsCompared with the sham operation group， the first leakage pressure （P<0.000 1） and the leakage point pressure after stable urination （P<0.01） were increased， the urination interval was shortened （P<0.001）， the bladder compliance was decreased （P<0.01）， the amplitude and median frequency of detrusor electromyography during urination were significantly decreased （P<0.000 1）， the current density of KATP channel was decreased （P<0.000 1）， and the ratio of intracellular relative calcium fluorescence change was increased （P<0.000 1）. After the treatment and compared with the model group， the above-mentioned indicators in the moxibustion group were all reversed （P<0.05， P<0.000 1）. Compared with moxibustion group， all the above indicators in the inhibitor group were reversed （P<0.05， P<0.01， P<0.001， P<0.000 1）.ConclusionGinger-salt-partitioned moxibustion can increase the leakage point pressure， prolong the urination interval， improve bladder compliance， and increase the amplitude and median frequency of detrusor contraction during urination in DH rats， which may be associated with increasing the current density of KATP channel， improving the efficiency of channel opening， promoting the outflow of K+ and cell membrane hyperpolarization， reducing intracellular Ca2+ concentration， thereby inhibiting bladder contraction.关键词：Detrusor hyperreflexia;Ginger-salt-partitioned moxibustion;KATP channel20|98|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of auricular thumbtack needle combined with behavioral therapy on anxiety symptoms， clinical symptoms， and peripheral serum 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） content in female patients with mild to moderate overactive bladder （OAB） accompanied by anxiety symptoms.MethodsA total of 118 female patients with mild to moderate OAB and anxiety symptoms were randomly divided into an experimental group （59 cases， 10 dropouts） and a control group （59 cases， 2 dropouts）. In the control group， the behavioral therapy and basic treatment were provided. In the experimental group， auricular thumbtack needle therapy was given in addition to treatments in the control group. The thumbtack needles were applied to the auricular points of heart （CO15）， liver （CO12）， kidney （CO10）， and bladder （CO9）. Behavioral therapy was conducted daily， and the thumbtack needles were replaced every 3–4 days， alternating between both ears， for a total of 6 weeks. The following indicators were observed before and after treatment： overactive bladder symptom score （OABSS）， Hamilton anxiety scale （HAMA） score， overactive bladder questionnaire （OAB-q） score， Pittsburgh sleep quality index （PSQI） score， Hamilton depression scale （HAMD） score， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， urodynamic parameters （maximum flow rate ［MFR］， maximum cystometric capacity ［MCC］， and residual urine volume ［RUV］）， nocturia frequency， and serum 5-HT content measured by ELISA.ResultsAfter 2， 4， and 6 weeks of treatment， the scores of OABSS， HAMA， OAB-q， PSQI， HAMD， and TCM syndrome scores in both groups decreased significantly （P<0.05） compared with those before treatment. After 6 weeks of treatment， the nocturia frequency of patients in both groups were lower （P<0.05） than those before treatment， while the MFR， MCC and serum 5-HT contents were all higher （P<0.05） than those before treatment； RUV of the experiment group decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group at different time points after treatment， the experimental group showed lower scores of OABSS， HAMA， OAB-q， PSQI， HAMD， TCM syndrome scores as well as reduced nocturia frequency （P<0.05）， along with elevated MFR， MCC and serum 5-HT contents （P<0.05）. The total effective rate of the experimental group was 95.92% （47/49）， which was significantly higher than that of the control group （80.70%，46/57，P<0.05）.ConclusionOn the basis of behavioral therapy， combined with auricular thumbtack needle stimulation of the vagus nerve， it can effectively alleviate anxiety， improve clinical symptoms and nocturia in patients， and this therapy is safe in clinical application.关键词：Overactive bladder;Anxiety;Auricular thumbtack needle;Auricular vagus nerve stimulation;5-hydroxytryptamine;Randomized controlled trial22|63|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Wenyang Huazhuo （warming yang and resolving turbidity） acupuncture therapy on endometrial receptivity and the outcome of frozen-thawed embryo transfer in patients with repeated implantation failure （RIF） of spleen and kidney yang deficiency.MethodsA total of 80 patients with RIP of spleen and kidney yang deficiency were randomly divided into a control group （40 cases， 3 cases dropped out） and a treatment group （40 cases， 4 cases dropped out）. In the control group， frozen embryo transfer （FET） was operated. In the treatment group， starting 2 months before FET and ending on the day of FET， Wenyang Huazhuo acupuncture therapy was given once every other day， 3 times a week and the needles were retained for 30 min in each treatment. Luteal support therapy was administered after FET in two groups. The comparison was conducted in clinical pregnancy rate， embryo implantation rate， sustained pregnancy rate and live birth rate between two groups. Using ultrasound， endometrial thickness and morphology， endometrial blood flow， uterine artery hemodynamic index （PI）， resistance index （RI）， and peak systolic velocity/end diastolic flow velocity （S/D） were detected on ovulation day/endometrial transformation day in FET cycle separately； and using Western blot method， the protein expressions of the mid-luteal endometrial homologous frame gene 10 （HOXA10）， integrin β5 （ITGB5） and leukocyte inhibitory factor （LIF） in endometrial tissue were detected.ResultsCompared with the control group， in the treatment group， clinical pregnancy rate， embryo implantation rate， sustained pregnancy rate and live birth rate increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）； the endometrial thickness on the endometrial transformation day/ovulation day before FET was thickened （P<0.05）， the rate of endometrial type A increased （P<0.01）， and the RI of the uterine artery decreased （P<0.01）； endometrial blood flow， PI， and S/D ratio showed no statistically significant differences. The protein expressions of the mid-luteal endometrial HOXA10， ITGB5 and LIF increased （P<0.05， P<0.001） in the treatment group.ConclusionWenyang Huazhuo acupuncture therapy can increase the implantation rate， pregnancy rate and live birth rate in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycle for the patients with RIF of spleen and kidney yang deficiency， and effectively improve the pregnancy outcome， which may be related to the up-regulation of the protein expressions of the mid-luteal endometrial HOXA10， ITGB5 and LIF and the improvement of endometrial receptivity.关键词：Wenyang Huazhuo （warming yang and resolving turbidity）;Acupuncture;Repeated implantation failure;Endometrial tolerance;Pregnancy outcome42|92|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：The clarification of the terms related to the human body shape not only concerns the study of terminology but also the clinical practice of acupuncture. This paper analyzes the terms of “frontal angle” “head angle” “left angle”， and “ear angle” in ancient acupuncture literature. The research suggests that “frontal angle” has 4 meanings： in LingShu-Meridians， it refers to the “head angle”； when used as a landmark for locating acupoints， it refers to the intersection of the frontal hairline and the anterior hairline； when used as a bony landmark of the forehead， it often refers to the bony prominences on the midline and both sides of the frontal bone， namely “FuXi Bone （Lingyun Bone）” and the frontal eminence. “Head angle” is often confused with “frontal angle”. As the “master of intelligence and perception”， the “head angle” refers to the “frontal angle” at the frontal eminence； in the context of the Meridian of the Foot-Shaoyang， the “head angle” refers to the frontal angle of the hairline； as a bony landmark in bone measurement， the “head angle” refers to the current “parietal eminence”， also known as the “posterior forehead angle” “brain angle” or “mountain angle bone”. The “left angle” has different meanings in different contexts： in the sinew of the Foot-Shaoyang Meridian， the “left angle” refers to the left parietal eminence； in the sinew of the Hand-Yangming Meridian， the “left angle” refers to the left frontal angle of the hairline； in SuWen - The Theory of Miu Ci， the “left angle” refers to the place where men and women keep their hair before reaching adulthood. Among the various “angles” of the ear， the “upper angle of the ear” is suspected to be a punctuation issue and should be read as “up to the ear/upper angle”. This angle and the “upper angle behind the ear” both refer to the parietal eminence of the head angle； the “sharp angle behind the ear” refers to the mastoid process of the temporal bone； the “angle in front of the ear”， also known as the “curved angle”， refers to the temporal angle of the hairline.关键词：Angle;Head angle;Frontal angle;Left angle;Meridian and body shape42|257|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：At present， the standards and norms of acupuncture and moxibustion have ushered in a period of rapid development， which is of great significance to the popularization and application in clinical practice. At the same time， in the process of formulating and promoting the standards and norms of acupuncture and moxibustion， there are many challenges， such as a lack of sufficient evidence-based support. Therefore， in the present article， taking the “Standardized Manipulations of Acupuncture and Moxibustion： Scalp Acupuncture” as an example， we make a discussion and a prospect about the doubtful contents of scalp acupoint locations after sorting out and comparing the related standardized manipulations of the previous various editions， in order to better promote the application and popularization of the current national standard edition （2021） and the international standard edition （2023） of the World Federation of Acupuncture Societies. It may also provide a reference for the improvement and formulation of the next edition of the standard.关键词：Scalp acupuncture;Standards and norms;National standard;International standard;Standardized manipulations;Location of scalp acupoints88|127|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：Electroacupuncture， as an effective treatment for ischemic stroke， significantly improves patients’ prognosis and functional recovery. However， its underlying mechanisms of action have not been fully elucidated. This paper reviews and summarizes researches on electroacupuncture in regulating ischemic stroke based on multiple cell death mechanisms， detailing the progress in understanding how electroacupuncture inhibits apoptosis， modulates autophagy， suppresses pyroptosis， ameliorates ferroptosis， and regulates necroptosis. These cell death mechanisms form a complex network of interactions that collectively contribute to the onset and progression of ischemic stroke. Furthermore， this paper analyzes the limitations of current research and proposes future directions， providing a theoretical foundation for further exploration of the molecular mechanisms of electroacupuncture in treating ischemic stroke and the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.关键词：Ischemic stroke;Electroacupuncture;Cell death;Review25|180|0更新时间：2026-04-17
- 摘要：In the present paper， it is first proposed that the acupuncture-moxibustion medicine can be divided into 2 branches， namely， traditional acupuncture-moxibustion and modern acupuncture-moxibustion， and then makes a comparative analysis on their connotations of the theoretical knowledge systems and cognitive methodology. It is believed that the conditions for the construction of the theoretical system of modern acupuncture-moxibustion are basically mature. It also puts forward that the three basic principles must be adhered to in the construction of the knowledge of theoretical framework of modern acupuncture-moxibustion， namely， to follow the attributes of modern natural science， to follow the basic findings of modern clinical and basic research， and to follow the basic characteristics of external treatment techniques. This article mainly explains the author’s personal views on the construction of the basic theory of modern acupuncture-moxibustion， and puts forward the macroscopic ideal model of surface stimulation medicine on the human body， that is， the theoretical model is divided into “three-layer （three-facet） system” and “three-line network system” at the macro level. The so-called “three-layer system” refers to the peripheral tissue from the body surface to the deep layer， which can be divided into 3 different tissue layers： the superficial （upper） layer， the connective tissue layer and the skeletal muscle layer at the macro level， which mainly guides the external treatment and local treatment of acupuncture， as well as the depth of acupuncture needle insertion. The so-called “three-line network system” refers to the neural network composed of nerve tissue， the myofascial force line network composed of myofascial fascia in the connective tissue， and the vascular network composed of muscle tissue （smooth muscle） and connective tissue. The “three-line network” functions in connecting the whole body， and mainly guides the internal treatment via external stimulation， distal treatment or holistic treatment. In this paper， the tissue structure and functional characteristics involved in the “three-layer system” and “three-line network system” of modern research in recent years are integrated and refined， which is helpful to guide treatment of clinical disorders by using acupuncture and moxibustion， and the two theoretical systems of “nonlinear structure system” （three-layers） and “linear structure system” （three-line network） of modern acupuncture-moxibustion are formed. In view of the modern acupuncture stimulation point theory， several categories of acupuncture points are proposed based on the nerves， blood vessels， myofascial trigger points， skin， muscle and related soft tissues. Finally， it is pointed out that the construction of modern acupuncture-moxibustion will complement and promote each other with the traditional one， enrich its knowledge system， and thus promote the development of this subject.关键词：Modern acupuncture science;Knowledge system;Linear structure system;Nonlinear structure system;Theoretical system construction153|171|0更新时间：2026-04-17
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