OBJECTIVE Study on the effect of combination treatment of "Neiguan"(PC6) and "Zusanli"(ST36) on vascular remodeling after myocardial Ischemia reperfusion injury (MIRI).
METHODS SPF-grade male SD mice were divided into five groups, including Blank (ten rats), MIRI (ten rats), PC6 (ten rats), ST36 (ten rats) and PC6+ST36 (ten rats). All mice were treated with MIRI to establish MIRI animal model. AMI mice were acupunctured bilaterally at PC6 and ST36 respectively or simultaneously, with dilatational wave, 2 Hz in frequency. Two days after suturing, mice were treated with electroacupuncture for 14 days, once a day. Echocardiography (ECG) was used to detect the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and Left Ventricular Fraction Shortening (LVFS). The infarct area in four groups was measured using TTC staining. Immunofluorescence (IF) was utilized to test the co-expression of α-SMA and CD31 protein in four groups. Western blot (WB) was applied to measure the protein levels of VEGFA, α-SMA and CD31 in five groups.
RESULTS Compared to blank group, the levels of LVEF and LVFS in MIRI group was significantly decreased (P < 0.000 1). The levels of LVEF and LVFS were increased in PC6 group and ST36 group (P < 0.000 1) compared to MIRI group. The levels of LVEF and LVFS were highest in PC6+ST36 group (P < 0.000 1 vs MIRI, P < 0.01 vs PC6 or ST36). The infarct area in MIRI group was significantly larger than blank group (P < 0.000 1). The infarct area in PC6 group and ST36 group was significantly smaller than MIRI group (P < 0.001, P < 0.01). The infarct area was reduced into a smallest level in PC6+ST36 group (P < 0.05 vs PC6, P < 0.001 vs ST36). The positivity of α-SMA and CD31 was reduced in MIRI group compared to blank group. Compared to MIRI group, the positivity of α-SMA and CD31 was enhanced in PC6 group and ST36 group, but was highest in PC6+ST36 group. The levels of α-SMA, CD31, VEGFA and p-eNOS in MIRI group were decreased significantly compared to blank group (P < 0.000 1). The levels of VEGFA (P < 0.001, P < 0.000 1 vs MIRI group), α-SMA (P < 0.000 1 vs MIRI group), CD31 (P < 0.000 1 vs MIRI group), p-eNOS (P < 0.000 1 vs MIRI group) were increased when acupunctured at PC6 or ST36, while acupuncture at both PC6 and ST36 had most significant effect on the levels of VEGFA, α-SMA, CD31 and p-eNOS (P < 0.000 1 vs PC6 or ST36).
CONCLUSION Acupuncture at both PC6 and ST36 has a better therapeutic effect on vascular remodeling after MIRI.
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