电针对早期糖尿病周围神经病变大鼠下肢疼痛的治疗作用及脊髓自噬异常的影响

Therapeutic Effect of Electroacupuncture on Lower Limb Pain in Rats with Early Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and the Effect of Abnormal Autophagy in the Spinal Cord

摘要: 目的：电针(EA)治疗糖尿病周围神经病变(DPN)已在临床上得到广泛应用，但其相关机制尚待研究。本研究旨在评价EA对DPN大鼠治疗效果，并探索其是否与脊髓细胞自噬相关，并从机械缩足阈值、Beclin-1和补体C3蛋白表达以及血糖的变化等方面探讨其可能的机制。方法：将18只大鼠随机分为3组，空白组不进行任何处理；采用高脂高糖饲养6周后按35 mg/kg单次腹腔注射STZ的造模方法建立DPN大鼠模型；模型组在造模成功后不进行任何治疗；电针组选择“阴陵泉”透刺“阳陵泉”，“内关”透刺“外关”，并连接电针进行治疗，隔日一次，治疗7次，共2周。电针治疗仪参数设置为：连续波，20 Hz，1 mA。2周后检测各组血糖值及机械缩足阈值的变化，利用Western blot法和免疫组化染色法检测Beclin-1和补体C3蛋白的表达。结果：结果表明，与空白组相比较，模型组和电针组体质量下降、血糖升高，机械缩足阈值下降，Beclin-1、补体C3蛋白表达和平均光密度值均升高；与模型组相比较，电针组大鼠体质量和血糖无明显差异，但机械缩足阈值提高，Beclin-1、补体C3蛋白表达和平均光密度值均降低。提示大鼠经电针治疗后DPN症状减轻，脊髓细胞自噬水平降低。结论：电针治疗大鼠DPN的效果显著，电针治疗后降低了DPN大鼠Beclin-1、补体C3的表达，电针治疗大鼠DPN可能是通过抑制脊髓细胞自噬发挥作用的。

Abstract: Purpose: Electroacupuncture (EA) for the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) has been widely used in clinical practice, but its related mechanisms have yet to be investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of EA on DPN rats and to explore whether it was associated with spinal cord cell autophagy, and to explore the possible mechanisms in terms of mechanical foot shrinkage threshold, Beclin-1 and complement C3 protein expression and changes in blood glucose. Methods: Eighteen rats were randomly divided into three groups, and the blank group was not treated; the DPN rat model was established by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ at 35 mg/kg after 6 weeks of high-fat and high-sugar feeding; the model group was not treated after successful modeling; the electroacupuncture group selected “Yinlingquan” for penetration. In the electro-acupuncture group, “Yanglingquan” and “Neiguan” were used to penetrate “Waiguan”, and electro-acupuncture was connected to the treatment. The parameters of the electroacupuncture instrument were set as follows: continuous wave, 20 Hz, 1 mA. 2 weeks later, the changes of blood glucose value and mechanical foot contraction threshold of each group were detected, and the expression of Beclin-1 and complement C3 protein were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemical staining. Results: The results showed that compared with the blank group, the body mass and blood glucose of the model and electroacupuncture groups decreased, the mechanical foot shrinkage threshold decreased, and the expression of Beclin-1 and complement C3 protein and the mean optical density value increased; compared with the model group, the body mass and blood glucose of the electroacupuncture group did not differ significantly, but the mechanical foot shrinkage threshold increased, and the expression of Beclin-1 and complement C3 protein and the mean optical density value decreased. Values were reduced. It was suggested that DPN symptoms were reduced and spinal cord cell autophagy level was decreased after electroacupuncture treatment in rats. Conclusion: The effect of electroacupuncture treatment for DPN in rats was significant, and the expression of Beclin-1 and complement C3 in DPN rats was reduced after electroacupuncture treatment, and electroacupuncture treatment for DPN in rats may act through the inhibition of spinal cord cell autophagy.