Chinese Journal of Clinical Anatomy ›› 2023, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (6): 709-715.doi: 10.13418/j.issn.1001-165x.2023.6.14

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Electroacupuncture activates autophagy and improves behavioral responses mechanism in Parkinson's rats brain by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

Wang Fei1,2, Li Ya’nan2, Zhang Xiaolei2, Hu Mengni2, Li Hanzhang2, Ma Jun2*   

  1. 1. Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan NO. 1 Hospital, Wuhan 430022, China; 2. College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430022, China
  • Received:2022-09-14 Online:2023-11-25 Published:2023-12-26

Abstract: Objective    To explore the effect of electroacupuncture participating in the behavioral response and brain autophagy of Parkinson's rats by regulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR).  Methods    Sixty rats were randomly separated into a control group, a Parkinson's group, an electroacupuncture group, a sirolimus group, an electroacupuncture + PI3K activation group, with 12 rats in each group. The Parkinson's rat model was prepared, and the motor behavioral function of the rats was evaluated by the inclined plate test and the open field test. The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and α-synuclein (α-syn) in substantia nigra was measured by immunohistochemistry. Brain tissue mitochondria were extracted, ATP synthase activity was measured by luciferase labeling method, and mitochondrial activity was measured by mitochondrial respiration detector. The expression levels of PI3K, AKT, mTOR, p-PI3K, p-AKT, p-mTOR and autophagy-related protein microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) B-II/LC3B-I, and Beclin1 in brain tissue were measured by Western blot.   Results   Compared with the control group, the Parkinson's group showed a significant decrease in the maximum angle of sloping plate stay, times of crossings lattice, times of standing, RCR in brain tissue, ATP synthase activity, and the average optical density of TH in the substantia nigra, and a significant increase in α-syn, Beclin1 protein expression, LC3B-II/LC3B-I and PI3K, AKT, mTOR protein phosphorylation (P<0.05). Compared with the Parkinson's group, the EA group and the sirolimus group showed significant increase in the maximum angle of sloping plate stay, times of crossings lattice, times of standing, RCR in brain tissue, ATP synthase activity, Beclin1 protein expression, LC3B-II/LC3B -I, and average optical density of TH in the substantia nigra, and significant decrease in the expression of α-syn protein and the protein phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT and mTOR (P<0.05). Compared with the electroacupuncture group, the rats in the electroacupuncture + PI3K activation group had a significant decrease in the maximum angle of sloping plate stay, times of crossings lattice, times of standing, RCR in brain tissue, ATP synthase activity, Beclin1 protein expression, LC3B-II/LC3B -I, and average optical density of TH in the substantia nigra, and a significant increase in the expression of α-syn protein and the protein phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT and mTOR (P<0.05). Compared with the electroacupuncture group, there was no significant difference in the indicators in the sirolimus group (P>0.05).    Conclusions    Electroacupuncture can inhibit the phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT and mTOR proteins, activate autophagy, and improve the motor behavioral function of rats, so as to treat the clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Key words: Parkinson's disease,  ,  , Electroacupuncture,  ,  , Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase,  ,  , Protein kinase B,  ,  , Mammalian target of rapamycin

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