Objective:To investigate whether the antihypertensive mechanism of electroacupuncture(EA)is associated with attenuating phenotype transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)via phosphoinositide3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt)and mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)signaling pathways.Methods:Eight Wistar-ktoyo(WKY)rats were set as normal blood pressure group(normal group).A total of 32 spontaneous hypertensive rats(SHRs)were randomly divided into 4 groups using random number tables:a model group,an EA group,an EA+PI3K antagonist group(EA+P group),and an EA+p38 MAPK agonist+extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK)agonist group(EA+M group)(n=8/group).SHRs in EA group,EA+P group and EA+M group received EA treatment 5 sessions per week for continuous 4 weeks,while rats in the normal and model groups were bundled in same condition.The systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP),and mean arterial pressure(MAP)of each rat was measured at 0 week and the 4th week.After 4-week intervention,thoracic aorta was collected for hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,immunohistochemistry[the contractile markers α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)and calponin and the synthetic marker osteopontin(OPN)]and Western blot[α-SMA,calponin,OPN,PI3K,phosphorylated-Akt(p-Akt),Akt,p-p42/44 ERK,total p42/44 ERK,p-p38 MAPK and total p38 MAPK].Results:EA significantly reduced SBP,DBP and MAP(P＜0.01).HE staining showed that the wall thickness of thoracic aorta in EA group was significantly decreased(P＜0.01).From results of immunohistochemistry and Western blot,EA increased the expression of α-SMA and calponin,and decreased the expression of OPN(P＜0.01).In addition,the expression of PI3K and p-Akt increased(P＜0.01),while the expression of p-p42/44 ERK and p-p38 MAPK decreased in EA group(P＜0.01).However,these effects were reversed by PI3K antagonist,p38 MAPK agonist and ERK agonist.Conclusions:EA was an effective treatment for BP management.The antihypertensive effect of EA may be related with inhibition of phenotypic transformation of VSMCs,in which the activation of PI3K/Akt and the repression of MAPK pathway were involved.

CHEN Xin-yu;YANG Lu-ping;ZHENG Ya-ling;LI Yu-xi;ZHONG Dong-ling;JIN Rong-jiang;LI Juan

School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation,Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Chengdu(610072),China;Food Science and Nutrition School,University of Leeds,Leeds(LS2 9JT),UK;Department of Rehabilitation,the Second People's Hospital of Chengdu,Chengdu(610072),China;School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina,Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Chengdu(610072),China

中国结合医学杂志（英文版）

[1]CHEN Xin-yu;YANG Lu-ping;ZHENG Ya-ling;LI Yu-xi;ZHONG Dong-ling;JIN Rong-jiang;LI Juan-.Electroacupuncture Attenuated Phenotype Transformation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells via PI3K/Akt and MAPK Signaling Pathways in Spontaneous Hypertensive Rats)[J].中国结合医学杂志（英文版）,2022(04):357-365

ktoyo,EA+PI3K,EA+P,EA+p38,agonist+extracellular,EA+M,p42

Electroacupuncture,Attenuated,Phenotype,Transformation,Vascular,Smooth,Muscle,Cells,via,Akt,MAPK,Signaling,Pathways,Spontaneous,Hypertensive,Rats,Objective,To,investigate,whether,antihypertensive,mechanism,electroacupuncture,associated,attenuating,phenotype,transformation,vascular,smooth,muscle,cells,VSMCs,phosphoinositide3,kinase,protein,mitogen,activated,signaling,pathways,Methods,Eight,Wistar,WKY,rats,were,set,normal,blood,pressure,total,spontaneous,SHRs,randomly,divided,into,groups,using,number,tables,model,antagonist,regulated,ERK,received,treatment,sessions,continuous,weeks,while,bundled,same,condition,systolic,SBP,diastolic,DBP,mean,arterial,each,was,measured,4th,After,intervention,thoracic,aorta,collected,hematoxylin,eosin,HE,staining,immunohistochemistry,contractile,markers,actin,SMA,calponin,synthetic,osteopontin,OPN,blot,phosphorylated,Results,significantly,reduced,showed,that,wall,thickness,decreased,From,results,increased,expression,In,addition,However,these,effects,reversed,by,Conclusions,effective,management,may,related,inhibition,phenotypic,which,activation,repression,involved

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