Electroacupuncture Effects on the Disintegration of Beta Amyloid Sheets: Its Application to Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Recent research indicates that electroacupuncture could help patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Indeed, certain acupoints, when stimulated by electric pulses, activate particular parts of the brain, the details of which have been revealed by magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography. Observed stimulated regions of the brain of Alzheimer's patients can be compared with the images obtained by fluorescence technique with a proper dye in Alzheimer's brain sections. This article provides support based on Western medical science for the treatment of Alzheimer's with electroacupuncture. Electroacupuncture acts in different and efficient ways. First, the positive charge of the electric pulses helps to detach from the neuron or the neuron membranes b amyloid peptides, which have been associated with the pathogenesis of the disease. In addition to this, the presence of the carboxyl group of b amyloids suffers a torque in the presence of an electric field and creates a serious deformation. Lastly, the moderate shaking originating from the electric pulses facilitates the partial disintegration of the b sheet, a frequent conformational change of the b amyloid peptide.

Aptamer as a Tool for Investigating the Effects of Electric Field on Aβ40 Monomer and Aggregates Using Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy

“…Fortunately, inhibition of aberrant protein aggregation is acknowledged as a potential strategy for neurodegenerative diseases therapy. , The developed aggregation inhibitors , as well as kinds of regulation methods of amyloid aggregation, such as femtosecond laser, near-UV light, and high-power ultrasonic treatment, were given extensive attention. Especially, the impact of electric field (EF) on amyloid peptide aggregation has been studied widely using computer simulation or experiment investigation , since EF may have some promising applications to treat Alzheimer’s disease. , Besides molecular dynamics simulation, the methods for exploring effects of EF on amyloid aggregation such as circular dichroism (CD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assays, Fourier transform infrared, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and electron microscopy mainly relied on structural and size analysis. These assays could evaluate a large thermodynamic ensemble of molecules, which provide structural information on larger aggregates (including oligomers and fibrils).…”

“…Especially, the impact of electric field (EF) on amyloid peptide aggregation has been studied widely using computer simulation or experiment investigation 9,10 since EF may have some promising applications to treat Alzheimer's disease. 11,12 Besides molecular dynamics simulation, 13 the methods for exploring effects of EF on amyloid aggregation such as circular dichroism (CD), 14 dynamic light scattering (DLS), 15 Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assays, 16 Fourier transform infrared, 14 atomic force microscopy (AFM), and electron microscopy 17 mainly relied on structural and size analysis. These assays could evaluate a large thermodynamic ensemble of molecules, which provide structural information on larger aggregates (including oligomers and fibrils).…”