{"title":"Acupuncture regulates α-synuclein expression via <i>serping1</i> in an MPTP-induced mouse model of Parkinsonism.","authors":"Min Hyung Seo, Sujung Yeo","doi":"10.1177/09645284251327195","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by a substantial loss of dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra (SN) and the formation of intracellular Lewy bodies, which are mainly composed of α-synuclein (α-syn). Acupuncture has been used to improve the symptoms of PD in humans and exhibits a neuroprotective effect against Parkinsonism in animal models. We further investigated the neuroprotective effect of acupuncture via its effect on α-syn levels, dopaminergic cell death and <i>serping1</i> expression in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced mouse model of chronic PD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Mice were divided into a control group receiving phosphate-buffered saline (CTL) and three model groups receiving MPTP that either remained untreated (MPTP) received verum acupuncture at GB34 and LR3 (MPTP_A) or received control acupuncture at sites not corresponding to any traditional acupuncture point location (MPTP_NA). The signal intensity of <i>serping1</i> gene expression was assessed using microarray, and α-syn level and dopaminergic cell death were measured by Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. To further investigate the relationship between expression of <i>serping1</i> and α-syn, a cell culture experiment was carried out in a 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) treated neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) with and without <i>serpin</i>g1 knockdown using short interfering (si)RNA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Acupuncture at GB34 and LR3 attenuated the MPTP-induced decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels and increase in α-syn levels in the SN. Furthermore, verum acupuncture prevented the increase in <i>serping1</i> level induced by MPTP. In SH-SY5Y cells, MPP+ treatment increased α-syn and decreased both TH expression and cell viability; however, these effects were mitigated by <i>serping</i>1 knockdown.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our results suggest that an MPTP-induced reduction in <i>serping1</i> level leads to decreased TH and increased α-syn expression, and that these effects can be attenuated/blocked by acupuncture at GB34 and LR3. Our findings provide new evidence for the neuroprotective effects of acupuncture on dopaminergic cells, which may be mediated by control of <i>serping1</i> expression.</p>","PeriodicalId":7257,"journal":{"name":"Acupuncture in Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"9645284251327195"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Acupuncture in Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09645284251327195","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"INTEGRATIVE & COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by a substantial loss of dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra (SN) and the formation of intracellular Lewy bodies, which are mainly composed of α-synuclein (α-syn). Acupuncture has been used to improve the symptoms of PD in humans and exhibits a neuroprotective effect against Parkinsonism in animal models. We further investigated the neuroprotective effect of acupuncture via its effect on α-syn levels, dopaminergic cell death and serping1 expression in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced mouse model of chronic PD.
Methods: Mice were divided into a control group receiving phosphate-buffered saline (CTL) and three model groups receiving MPTP that either remained untreated (MPTP) received verum acupuncture at GB34 and LR3 (MPTP_A) or received control acupuncture at sites not corresponding to any traditional acupuncture point location (MPTP_NA). The signal intensity of serping1 gene expression was assessed using microarray, and α-syn level and dopaminergic cell death were measured by Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. To further investigate the relationship between expression of serping1 and α-syn, a cell culture experiment was carried out in a 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) treated neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) with and without serping1 knockdown using short interfering (si)RNA.
Results: Acupuncture at GB34 and LR3 attenuated the MPTP-induced decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels and increase in α-syn levels in the SN. Furthermore, verum acupuncture prevented the increase in serping1 level induced by MPTP. In SH-SY5Y cells, MPP+ treatment increased α-syn and decreased both TH expression and cell viability; however, these effects were mitigated by serping1 knockdown.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that an MPTP-induced reduction in serping1 level leads to decreased TH and increased α-syn expression, and that these effects can be attenuated/blocked by acupuncture at GB34 and LR3. Our findings provide new evidence for the neuroprotective effects of acupuncture on dopaminergic cells, which may be mediated by control of serping1 expression.
期刊介绍:
Acupuncture in Medicine aims to promote the scientific understanding of acupuncture and related treatments by publishing scientific investigations of their effectiveness and modes of action as well as articles on their use in health services and clinical practice. Acupuncture in Medicine uses the Western understanding of neurophysiology and anatomy to interpret the effects of acupuncture.