Background Low-frequency electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to ameliorate obesity and reproductive dysfunctions in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and further explorations in PCOS-like rats showed that EA could affect white adipose tissue. However, the function and neuromodulation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in PCOS and after EA treatment have remained unknown. The present study focused on the role of BAT in PCOS-like rats and its relationship with EA and characterized the three-dimensional (3D) innervation of BAT associated with activation molecules. Methods Female rats (21 days old) were implanted with dihydrotestosterone or fed with a high fat diet to establish PCOS-like and obesity models, respectively, and then EA treatment at “Guilai” (ST 29) and “Sanyinjiao” (SP 6) was carried out for 4 weeks. In the present study, morphological analysis, 3D imaging, molecular biology, and other experimental techniques were used to study the sympathetic nerves and activity of BAT. Results PCOS-like rats showed both obvious weight gain and reproductive dysfunction, similar to what was seen in obese rats except for the absence of reproductive dysfunction. The body weight gain was mainly caused by an increase in white adipose tissue, and there was an abnormal decrease in BAT. Because both the lipid metabolism and reproductive disorders could be improved with bilateral EA at “Guilai” (ST 29) and “Sanyinjiao” (SP 6), especially the restoration of BAT, we further investigated the neuromodulation and inflammation in BAT and identified the sympathetic marker tyrosine hydroxylase as one of the key factors of sympathetic nerves. Modified adipo-clearing technology and 3D high-resolution imaging showed that crooked or dispersed sympathetic nerves, but not the twisted vasculature, were reconstructed and associated with the activation of BAT and are likely to be the functional target for EA treatment. Conclusion Our study highlights the significant role of BAT and its sympathetic innervations in PCOS and in EA therapy.
Pinching at specific areas of the human body will produce special sensations, such as soreness, numbness, heaviness and distention, which are collectively referred to as acupuncture sensation. The generation of acupuncture sensation, linked to a variety of receptors and nerve endings in different acupoint areas, induces nerve impulses that are transmitted to the central system through the spinal cord in different patterns. Sensory areas in the cerebral cortex are processed and transformed the impulses to form special sensations. This paper will systematically review the mechanisms of these sensations in different situations, and compare acupuncture sensations to review and analyze the mechanism of acupuncture effect.
Background: Low-frequency electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to ameliorate obesity and reproductive dysfunctions in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and further explorations in PCOS-like rats showed that EA could affect white adipose tissue (WAT). However, the function and neuromodulation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in PCOS and after EA treatment have remained unknown. The present study focused on the role of BAT in PCOS-like rats and its relationship with EA, and it characterized the three-dimensional (3D) innervation of BAT associated with activation molecules. Methods: Twenty-one-day-old female rats were implanted with dihydrotestosterone or fed high fat diet respectively to establish PCOS-like and obesity models, and then EA treatment at “Guilai” (ST 29) and “Sanyinjiao” (SP 6) was carried out for 4 weeks. In present study, morphology, 3D imaging, molecular biology and other experimental techniques were used to study the sympathetic nerve and activity of BAT. Results: First, dihydrotestosterone-induced PCOS-like rats showed both obvious weight gain and reproductive dysfunction, similar to what is seen in high-fat dietinduced obesity rats except for the absence of reproductive dysfunction. We found that the body weight gain was mainly caused by an increase in WAT, but surprisingly we also observed an abnormal decrease in BAT. Because both the lipid metabolism and reproductive disorders could be improved with bilateral EA at “Guilai” (ST 29) and “Sanyinjiao” (SP 6), especially the restoration of BAT, we further investigated the neuromodulation and inflammation in BAT and identified the sympathetic marker tyrosine hydroxylase as one of the key factors of sympathetic nerves. We used tissue clearing and 3D high-resolution imaging technology to show that crooked or dispersed sympathetic nerves, but not the twisted vasculature, were reconstructed and associated with the activation of BAT and are likely to be the functional target for EA treatment. Conclusion: Taken together, the results of our study highlight the significant role of BAT and its sympathetic innervations in PCOS and in EA therapy. Keywords: polycystic ovary syndrome, electroacupuncture, brown adipose tissue, sympathetic nerve, mitochondrial brown fat uncoupling protein 1
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.