Electroacupuncture for chemotherapy‑induced anorexia through humoral appetite regulation: A preliminary experimental study

Kang,Ki  Sung; Huh,Wonsang; Bang,Yeojin; Choi,Hyun  Jin; Baek,Ji  Yun; Song,Ji  Hoon; Kang,Jung  Won; Kim,Tae‑Hun

doi:10.3892/etm.2019.7250

Electroacupuncture for chemotherapy‑induced anorexia through humoral appetite regulation: A preliminary experimental study

Authors:
- Ki Sung Kang
- Wonsang Huh
- Yeojin Bang
- Hyun Jin Choi
- Ji Yun Baek
- Ji Hoon Song
- Jung Won Kang
- Tae‑Hun Kim
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Affiliations: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, Gyeonggi‑do 13120, Republic of Korea, College of Pharmacy and Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, CHA University, Seongnam, Gyeonggi‑do 13488, Republic of Korea, Department of Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea, Korean Medicine Clinical Trial Center, Korean Medicine Hospital, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
Published online on: February 7, 2019 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.7250
Pages: 2587-2597
Copyright: © Kang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Chemotherapy‑induced anorexia (CIA), which may lead to severe nutrition‑associated problems, is a common complication associated with anti‑cancer therapies. In the present study, the anti‑anorexigenic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) was explored through assessing a change in appetite‑associated peptides and c‑Fos expression in a rat model of cisplatin‑induced anorexia. In order to identify the most effective acupuncture point, 20 male Wistar rats (divided into five groups including the normal saline control, cisplatin only control and three groups according to the acupoints stimulated) were subjected to EA for 10 min at CV12, ST36 or PC6 daily for 4 days. Subsequently, the rats received intraperitoneal injections of cisplatin (6 mg/kg) to induce CIA. Food intake and reduction in body weight gain as the anorexia‑associated outcomes were assessed daily for up to 3 days after cisplatin injection, and CV12 was eventually chosen as the most effective acupoint to test the anti‑anorexigenic effect of EA. Furthermore, food intake, body weight and the concentrations of appetite‑associated peptides, including ghrelin, cholecystokinin (CCK) and 5‑hydroxytryptamine (5‑HT), in addition to c‑Fos expression, were comparatively assessed between the CV12 EA group (n=6; rats treated with EA at CV12 daily for 4 days) and a control group (n=6; rats without treatment). The results indicated that the CV12 EA group exhibited a better outcome regarding food intake and body weight compared with the controls. Although there was no statistically significant difference observed, the secretion of serum ghrelin and CCK was increased in the CV12 EA group compared with that in the control group. The plasma level of 5‑HT after cisplatin injection in the CV12 EA group was lower compared with that in the control, although no statistical significance was reached. Although not statistically significant, the expression of c‑Fos protein in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) was reduced in the CV12 EA rats. In addition, the hypothalamic mRNA levels of brain‑derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were significantly increased in the CV12 EA group. In the hypothalamus, the expression of neuropeptide Y mRNA slightly increased in the cisplatin + CV12 EA group compared with the cisplatin only control group. In conclusion, the anti‑anorexigenic effect of EA on CIA may be associated with an increase in the secretion of ghrelin and CCK and a decrease in the secretion of 5‑HT into the serum, a reduction of c‑Fos expression in the NTS and an increase in BDNF mRNA expression in the hypothalamus.

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