Protective effect of electro‑acupuncture on liver ischemia‑reperfusion injury in rats

Li,Yesheng; Chen,Yi; Zhang,Xinji; Geng,Li; Dai,Binghua; Lv,Xin; Zhang,Ping; Li,Honghai; Yang,Jiamei; Huang,Yangqing; Xu,Feng

doi:10.3892/etm.2018.6287

Protective effect of electro‑acupuncture on liver ischemia‑reperfusion injury in rats

Authors:
- Yesheng Li
- Yi Chen
- Xinji Zhang
- Li Geng
- Binghua Dai
- Xin Lv
- Ping Zhang
- Honghai Li
- Jiamei Yang
- Yangqing Huang
- Feng Xu
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Affiliations: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai 200083, P.R. China, Department of Health Statistics, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China, Department of Special Treatment, Eastern Hepatobiliary Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, P.R. China, Department of Anesthesiology, Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200438, P.R. China, Department of Experimental Research Center, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China, Department of Shanghai Cancer Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200438, P.R. China
Published online on: June 12, 2018 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.6287
Pages: 1373-1380

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Abstract

Liver ischemia‑reperfusion injury is an important clinical complication in which excessive inflammation is a key factor; however, few studies have provided effective means of its regulation. As previous studies suggested that electro‑acupuncture (EA) is able control excessive inflammation, the present study aimed to explore its effects on liver ischemia‑reperfusion injury in experimental rats. The animals were randomly divided into surgery and sham groups, which were further divided into four sub‑groups, including a non‑treatment (NT), a non‑point acupuncture (NPA), the non‑selective nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) agonist 1,1‑dimethyl‑4‑phenyl L‑pioperazinium iodide (DMPPI) and an EA group. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum cytokine and myeloperoxidase (MP) levels and the tissue pathology were evaluated after 90 min of ischemia followed by a 4, 8 or 24 h reperfusion. The results demonstrated that EA and DMPPI suppressed serum ALT elevation at 4 and 8 h reperfusion, whereas NPA did not. I/R induced hepatocellular necrosis, and cytoplasmic vacuolization and sinusoidal congestion was ameliorated by EA treatment after an 8 and 24 h reperfusion. In addition, EA also inhibited liver neutrophil accumulation, evidenced by a decreased MPO level at 8 h reperfusion. EA also suppressed the release of serum inflammatory factors TNF‑α and IL‑6 for the duration of reperfusion. However, little influence on IL‑10 was observed. Mechanistically, vagus block by subphrenic vagotomy or mecamylamine hydrochloride abolished EA effect on liver damage, neutrophil accumulation and inflammatory factor release. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that EA protects the liver against I/R induced injury by inhibiting the inflammatory response, which is associated with the vagus.

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