Electroacupuncture Alleviates Neuroinflammation by Inhibiting the HMGB1 Signaling Pathway in Rats with Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy

Abstract

Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy (SAE) is common in sepsis patients, with high mortality rates. It is believed that neuroinflammation is an important mechanism involved in SAE. High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), as a late pro-inflammatory factor, is significantly increased during sepsis in different brain regions, including the hippocampus. HMGB1 causes neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment through direct binding to advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Electroacupuncture (EA) at Baihui (GV20) and Zusanli (ST36) is beneficial for neurological diseases and experimental sepsis. Our study used EA to treat SAE induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in male Sprague–Dawley rats. The Y maze test was performed to assess working memory. Immunofluorescence (IF) and Western blotting (WB) were used to determine neuroinflammation and the HMGB1 signaling pathway. Results showed that EA could improve working memory impairment in rats with SAE. EA alleviated neuroinflammation by downregulating the hippocampus’s HMGB1/TLR4 and HMGB1/RAGE signaling, reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory factors, and relieving microglial and astrocyte activation. However, EA did not affect the tight junctions’ expression of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in the hippocampus.

Pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila improves irritable bowel syndrome-like symptoms and related behavioral disorders in mice

“…Cognitive performance was then evaluated using the Y-maze test to assess working memory 26 and the NOR/NLR behavioral test for learning and recognition memory. 27 During the Y-maze assay, the percentage of alternation was significantly lower in the Citro/Veh mouse group than in the non-infected NI/Veh mouse group ( Figure 5d ).…”

Electroacupuncture suppresses neuronal ferroptosis to relieve chronic neuropathic pain

“…Several studies have proven the significant neuroprotective effect of the widely used acupoints ST36 and GV20 in the management of neurological diseases 35–37 . Specifically, the ST36 has proven to be beneficial in alleviating chronic pain 38 .…”

“…Several studies have proven the significant neuroprotective effect of the widely used acupoints ST36 and GV20 in the management of neurological diseases. 35 , 36 , 37 Specifically, the ST36 has proven to be beneficial in alleviating chronic pain. 38 Consistent with previous findings, we found that EA stimulation acupoints at ST36 and GV20 markedly decreased pain hypersensitization induced by CCI surgery, with the anti‐nociceptive effect increased in a time‐dependent manner.…”