Objective To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture(EA)on silent information regulator 1(SIRT1)

forkhead transcription factor O1(FoxO1)

and proopiomelanocortin(POMC)in the hypothalamus of rats with high-fat diet-induced obesity(DIO)

as well as the mechanism of EA in regulating central appetite peptides to help lose weight.Methods Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group

model group

EA group

EA+inhibitor group

inhibitor group

and shamoperation group

with 10 rats in each group.High-fat diet was used to establish a rat model of DIO.The rats in the EA group and EA+inhibitor group were given EA at"Fenglong"(ST40)

"Zhongwan"(CV12)

"Guanyuan"(CV4)

and"Zusanli"(ST36)with continuous wave at a frequency of 2 Hz and an intensity of 1 mA

for 10 minutes each time.The rats in the EA+inhibitor group and inhibitor group were given tube placement in the third ventricle and injection of the specific SIRT1 antagonist EX-527.The rats in the sham-operation group were given tube placement in the third ventricle and injection of artificial cerebrospinal fluid.The above treatment was given 3 times a week for 8 weeks in total.Body weight

food intake

and Lee's index were observed before and after treatment.An automatic biochemical analyzer was used to measure the serum levels of total cholesterol(TC)

triglyceride(TG)

and free fatty acid(FFA)

and Western blot was used to measure the protein expression of SIRT1

FoxO1

acetylated FoxO1(AC-FoxO1)

and POMC in the hypothalamus.Results Before treatment

the model group

the EA group

the EA+inhibitor group

the inhibitor group

and the sham-operation group had significantly higher body weight and food intake than the normal group(P<0.01)

and the model group and the sham-operation group had a significantly higher Lee's index than the normal group(P<0.05).Compared with the model group after treatment

the EA group and the EA+inhibitor group had significant reductions in body weight

food intake

TC

and the protein expression of AC-FoxO1(P<0.01

P<0.05)and significant increases in the protein expression of SIRT1

FoxO1 and POMC(P<0.01

P<0.05);the EA group had significant reductions in Lee's index and the levels of TG

FFA(P<0.05

P<0.01);the inhibitor group had significant increases in food intake

the serum levels of TC

TG

FFA(P<0.01)and significant reductions in the protein expression of SIRT1

FoxO1 and POMC(P<0.01

P<0.05).Compared with the EA group

the EA+inhibitor group and the inhibitor group had significant increases in body weight

food intake

Lee's index

the levels of TG

FFA and the protein expression of AC-FoxO1(P<0.01

P<0.05)and significant reductions in the protein expression of SIRT1

FoxO1 and POMC(P<0.01);the inhibitor group had significant increases in the serum levels of TC(P<0.01).Compared with the EA+inhibitor group

the inhibitor group had significant increases in body weight

food intake

the serum levels of TC

TG

FFA

and the protein expression of AC-FoxO1(P<0.01)

as well as significant reductions in the protein expression of SIRT1

FoxO1 and POMC(P<0.01).Conclusion In rats with DIO

EA can effectively upregulate the expression of SIRT1 in the hypothalamus

exert a deacetylation effect on FoxO1

and promote the expression of the downstream appetite-inhibiting peptide POMC

which may be one of the mechanisms of EA to help lose weight by regulating central appetite peptides in the obesity model.