The imbalance of autonomic nervous function after myocardial ischemia(MI)accelerates the development of ischemic myocardial injury.The beta-adrenergic receptor(β-AR)and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor(M-AChR)are the main receptor types of the cardiomyocyte and the binding sites of the cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic transmitters.In the present paper

the authors review recent progress of experimental researches on the mechanisms of acupuncture therapy in the prevention and treatment of MI

mainly focusing on the signaling of β_1-AR and M_2-AChR subtypes.Results showed that acupuncture could attenuate the injury of myocardial ischemia via down-regulating the over expression of β_1-AR and up-regulating the expression of M_2-AChR protein.Correspondingly

acupuncture intervention could reverse the abnormal expression of the intracellular stimulatory G protein and inhibitory G protein caused by MI

and suppress the activity of cellular adenylate cyclase.In addition

acupuncture could also enhance the activity of nitric oxide synthase and the level of nitric oxide in the ischemic cardiomyocytes

and increase the synthesis of cyclic guanosine monophosphate

ultimately reducing the level of cyclic adenosine 3'

5'monophosphate

and lowering the activity of protein kinase A and the inward flow of Ca

(2+)

in cardiomyocytes.In this way

the ischemic myocardial injury is improved at last.However

some results of acupuncture intervention are not identical and need being confirmed further by more approaches.