In this study, rats were put into traumatic brain injury-induced coma and treated with median nerve electrical stimulation. We explored the wake-promoting effect, and possible mechanisms, of median nerve electrical st...In this study, rats were put into traumatic brain injury-induced coma and treated with median nerve electrical stimulation. We explored the wake-promoting effect, and possible mechanisms, of median nerve electrical stimulation. Electrical stimulation upregulated the expression levels of orexin-A and its receptor OX1R in the rat prefrontal cortex. Orexin-A expression gradually in-creased with increasing stimulation, while OX1R expression reached a peak at 12 hours and then decreased. In addition, after the OX1R antagonist, SB334867, was injected into the brain of rats after traumatic brain injury, fewer rats were restored to consciousness, and orexin-A and OXIR expression in the prefrontal cortex was downregulated. Our ifndings indicate that median nerve electrical stimulation induced an up-regulation of orexin-A and OX1R expression in the pre-frontal cortex of traumatic brain injury-induced coma rats, which may be a potential mechanism involved in the wake-promoting effects of median nerve electrical stimulation.展开更多
Inflammation and lung function decline are the main pathophysiological features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）. Acupuncture can improve lung function in patients with COPD, but the underlying mechan...Inflammation and lung function decline are the main pathophysiological features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）. Acupuncture can improve lung function in patients with COPD, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Orexins （OXs）, which are found in peripheral plasma, are neuropeptides that regulate respiration and their levels are related to COPD. Therefore, we hypothesized that acupuncture might alter OXs, reduce lung inflammation and improve lung function in COPD. METHODS： COPD was induced in rats by exposure to cigarette smoke for 8 weeks and injecting with lipopolysaccharide twice. Electroacupuncture （EA） was performed at Feishu （BL13） and Zusanli （ST36） for 30 min/d for 2 weeks. Rat lung function and morphology were assessed after EA. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-a） and intedeukin-1β （IL-16） in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） and orexin A and B levels in the lung tissue were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. OX receptor mRNA levels and immunopositive cells were assessed with real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical methods, respectively. The relationships among lung function, cell factors, and OX levels were analyzed by Pearson correlation analyses. RESULTS： Compared with the control group, lung function was significantly decreased in the rats with COPD （P〈0.05）. There were obvious increases in TNF-α and IL-1β levels in BALF （P〈0.05 and P〈0.01, respectively）, orexin A level in lung tissue （P〈0.01; but not orexin B） and mRNA expressions of OX 1 type receptor （OXR1） and OX 2 type receptor （OXR2） in lung tissue （P〈0.05 and P〈0.01, respectively）; the integrative optical densities （IODs） of both receptors were greater in the COPD group （P〈0.05）. For rats with COPD subjected to EA, lung function was improved （P〈0.05）. There were notable decreases in TNF-a and IL-1β levels （P〈0.05 and 〈0.01, respectively） in BALF. Orexin A, but not orexi展开更多
基金funded by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81260295the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province of China,No.20132BAB205063
文摘In this study, rats were put into traumatic brain injury-induced coma and treated with median nerve electrical stimulation. We explored the wake-promoting effect, and possible mechanisms, of median nerve electrical stimulation. Electrical stimulation upregulated the expression levels of orexin-A and its receptor OX1R in the rat prefrontal cortex. Orexin-A expression gradually in-creased with increasing stimulation, while OX1R expression reached a peak at 12 hours and then decreased. In addition, after the OX1R antagonist, SB334867, was injected into the brain of rats after traumatic brain injury, fewer rats were restored to consciousness, and orexin-A and OXIR expression in the prefrontal cortex was downregulated. Our ifndings indicate that median nerve electrical stimulation induced an up-regulation of orexin-A and OX1R expression in the pre-frontal cortex of traumatic brain injury-induced coma rats, which may be a potential mechanism involved in the wake-promoting effects of median nerve electrical stimulation.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81072870No.81102660+1 种基金No.81373743)Open Research Fund of Zhejiang First-foremost Key Subject-Acupuncture&Moxibustion(No.ZTK2010B06)
文摘Inflammation and lung function decline are the main pathophysiological features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）. Acupuncture can improve lung function in patients with COPD, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Orexins （OXs）, which are found in peripheral plasma, are neuropeptides that regulate respiration and their levels are related to COPD. Therefore, we hypothesized that acupuncture might alter OXs, reduce lung inflammation and improve lung function in COPD. METHODS： COPD was induced in rats by exposure to cigarette smoke for 8 weeks and injecting with lipopolysaccharide twice. Electroacupuncture （EA） was performed at Feishu （BL13） and Zusanli （ST36） for 30 min/d for 2 weeks. Rat lung function and morphology were assessed after EA. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-a） and intedeukin-1β （IL-16） in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） and orexin A and B levels in the lung tissue were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. OX receptor mRNA levels and immunopositive cells were assessed with real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical methods, respectively. The relationships among lung function, cell factors, and OX levels were analyzed by Pearson correlation analyses. RESULTS： Compared with the control group, lung function was significantly decreased in the rats with COPD （P〈0.05）. There were obvious increases in TNF-α and IL-1β levels in BALF （P〈0.05 and P〈0.01, respectively）, orexin A level in lung tissue （P〈0.01; but not orexin B） and mRNA expressions of OX 1 type receptor （OXR1） and OX 2 type receptor （OXR2） in lung tissue （P〈0.05 and P〈0.01, respectively）; the integrative optical densities （IODs） of both receptors were greater in the COPD group （P〈0.05）. For rats with COPD subjected to EA, lung function was improved （P〈0.05）. There were notable decreases in TNF-a and IL-1β levels （P〈0.05 and 〈0.01, respectively） in BALF. Orexin A, but not orexi
