Molecular mechanism of regulatory effects of electroacupuncture on Lipopolysaccharide-induced depressed mice based on transcriptomics techniques
10.3969/j.issn.1006-2157.2025.09.015
- VernacularTitle:基于转录组学探讨电针对脂多糖诱导抑郁样小鼠的调节作用及分子机制
- Author:
Xiaoling LIU
1
;
Anni SHI
1
;
Yaxuan WANG
1
;
Ai TIAN
1
;
Jun LU
1
;
Ya TU
1
Author Information
1. 北京中医药大学针灸推拿学院 北京 100029
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
electroacupuncture;
transcriptomics;
depression;
lipopolysaccharide;
inflammation;
mice
- From:
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2025;48(9):1299-1309
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture(EA)on the behaviors of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced depression-like mice and explore the potential molecular mechanism of the antidepressant effect of EA using transcriptomics sequencing technology.Methods Thirty-six male specific pathogen-free-grade C57BL/6J mice were divided into the normal,the model,and the EA groups using the random number table method,with 12 mice per group.The EA group received a daily 20-minute EA at the"Baihui"and"Yintang"acupoints for 7 days.After 7 days of EA treatment,1.5 mg/kg LPS was injected intraperitoneally into the model and EA groups,whereas the normal group received an injection of an equal volume of saline solution.Depressive behaviors were assessed using the open-field test,tail-suspension test,and other relevant tests.Pathologic morphology of the hippocampus tissue was determined using hematoxylin-eosin staining.Transcriptomics technology was used to identify differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus,and bioinformatics analysis was performed.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expressions of hematopoietic cell kinase(Hck),adhesion G protein-coupled receptor E1(Adgre1),Toll-like receptor 2(Tlr2),and Gm49037 in the hippocampus.Results Compared to the normal group,mice in the model group exhibited a decrease in total travel distance,central travel distance,center area time(P＜0.01),as well as an increase in tail-suspension immobility time(P＜0.05).Hippocampal neurons were loosely arranged,and some neurons had blurred boundaries.Compared to the model group,mice in the EA group showed an increase in open-field total travel distance,central travel distance,center area time(P＜0.05),as well as a decrease in tail-suspension immobility time(P＜0.01);Additionally,hippocampal neurons were more tightly arranged,exhibiting clearer morphology and structure.Transcriptomic analysis revealed that 779 differentially expressed genes were identified in the model group compared to the normal group,whereas 172 genes differed between the EA and model groups.Nineteen genes were upregulated in the model group but downregulated in the EA group,and ten genes were down-regulated in the model group but up-regulated in the EA group.Gene Ontology Functional Analysis indicated that these genes primarily function in immune responses,Toll-like receptor activity,cell surface receptor signaling pathways,and interleukin-10 production.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed enrichment in inflammation-related pathways,including Toll-like receptor signaling pathway and tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway.Compared to the normal group,Hck,Adgre1,and Tlr2 mRNA expressions were elevated in the model group(P＜0.01),whereas there was a decrease tendency for Gm49037 mRNA expression and there was no significant difference(P＞0.05);compared to the model group,Hck,Adgre1,and Tlr2 mRNA expressions were decreased in the EA group(P＜0.05),whereas there was an increase tendency for Gm49037 mRNA expression and there was no significant difference(P＞0.05).Conclusion EA alleviated depressive-like behavior and pathological damage in the hippocampus in LPS-induced mice,which may be related to attenuating hippocampal inflammatory pathways,and Hck,Adgre1,and Tlr2 genes may be the potential targets for its effect.
