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Bloodletting Acupuncture at Jing-Well Points on Hand Induced Autophagy to Alleviate Brain Injury in Acute Altitude Hypoxic Rats by Activating PINK1/Parkin Pathway

  • Acupuncture Research
  • Published:
Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To explore the protective effect of bloodletting acupuncture at twelve Jing-well points on hand (BAJP) on acute hypobaric hypoxia (AHH)-induced brain injury in rats and its possible mechanisms.

Methods

Seventy-five Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups by a random number table (n=15), including control, model, BAJP, BAJP+3-methyladenine (3-MA), and bloodletting acupuncture at non-acupoint (BANA, tail tip blooding) groups. After 7-day pre-treatment, AHH models were established using hypobaric oxygen chambers. The levels of S100B, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling method were used to assess hippocampal histopathology and apoptosis. Transmission electron microscopy assay was used to observe mitochondrial damage and autophagosomes in hippocampal tissues. Flow cytometry was used to detect mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I, III and IV activities and ATPase in hippocampal tissue were evaluated, respectively. Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein expressions of Beclin1, autophagy protein 5 (ATG5), microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta (LC3B), phosphatase and tensin homolog induced kinase 1 (PINK1), and Parkin in hippocampal tissues. The mRNA expressions of Beclin1, ATG5 and LC3-II were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

BAJP treatment reduced hippocampal tissue injury and inhibited hippocampal cell apoptosis in AHH rats. BAJP reduced oxidative stress by decreasing S100B, GFAP and MDA levels and increasing SOD level in the serum of AHH rats (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Then, BAJP increased MMP, the mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I, III and IV activities, and the mitochondrial ATPase activity in AHH rats (all P<0.01). BAJP improved mitochondrial swelling and increased the autophagosome number in hippocampal tissue of AHH rats. Moreover, BAJP treatment increased the protein and mRNA expressions of Beclin1 and ATG5 and LC3-II/LC3-I ratio in AHH rats (all P<0.01) and activated the PINK1/Parkin pathway (P<0.01). Finally, 3-MA attenuated the therapeutic effect of BAJP on AHH rats (P<0.05 or P<0.01).

Conclusion

BAJP was an effective treatment for AHH-induced brain injury, and the mechanism might be through reducing hippocampal tissue injury via increasing the PINK1/Parkin pathway and enhancement of mitochondrial autophagy.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical College of Qinghai University, Xining, 810001, China

    Yong-ping Li, Meng-xin Li, Chao Wang, Yun-di Li & Yu-ping Sa

  2. Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Research for Glucolipid Metabolic Diseases, Xining, 810001, China

    Yong-ping Li & Yu-ping Sa

  3. Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China

    Yi Guo

Authors
  1. Yong-ping Li
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  2. Meng-xin Li
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  3. Chao Wang
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  4. Yun-di Li
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Contributions

Li YP, Li MX and Guo Y designed the experiments. Li YP, Li MX, Wang C, Li YD and Sa YP performed the experiments. Li YP and Li MX analyzed data, wrote this article, and contributed equally to the work.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yi Guo.

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The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Supported by the Applied Basic Research Project of Science and Technology Department of Qinghai Province (No. 2020-ZJ-760)

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Li, Yp., Li, Mx., Wang, C. et al. Bloodletting Acupuncture at Jing-Well Points on Hand Induced Autophagy to Alleviate Brain Injury in Acute Altitude Hypoxic Rats by Activating PINK1/Parkin Pathway. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 29, 932–940 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-023-3597-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-023-3597-0

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