OBJECTIVE To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of electroacupuncture in mice with chronic obstructive pul-monary disease(COPD)and its underlying mechanisms.METHODS Forty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal group,model group,electroacupuncture(EA)group,vagotomy group,and vagotomy+EA group,with 8 mice in each group.Except for the normal group,all groups were exposed to cigarette smoke for 12 weeks to establish a COPD model.After model establishment,the vagotomy group and the vagotomy+EA group underwent left cervical vagotomy before EA.EA treatment was performed at the Feishu(BL13)and Zusanli(ST36)acupoints once daily for 20 minutes for a total of 14 days.After EA,the pulmonary ventilation function of the mice was detected by a pulmonary function analysis system;lung tissue pathology was observed by HE staining;the levels of inter-leukin(IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),IL-10,and transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)in lung tissue were detected by ELISA;the expression of CD86 and CD206 proteins in lung tissue was detected by Western blot;the distribution of F4/80+CD86+(M1 type)and F4/80+CD206+(M2 type)cells in lung tissue was determined by flow cytometry;the expression of CD86 and CD206 in lung tissue was observed by immunofluorescence.RESULTS Compared with the normal group,the model group showed significantly decreased lung function(P<0.01),obvious lung pathological damage,increased M1 proportion,IL-6,TNF-α,CD86 content and expression(P<0.05,P<0.01),and decreased M2 proportion,IL-10,TGF-β,CD206 content and expression(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the EA group showed varying degrees of improvement in lung function and pathology;the M1 proportion,IL-6,TNF-α,and CD86 were reduced(P<0.05,P<0.01),while the M2 proportion,IL-10,TGF-β,and CD206 were increased(P<0.05,P<0.01).The vagotomy group showed worsened lung function and pathology,increased IL-6,TNF-α,and CD86 content and expression(P<0.05,P<0.01),and decreased IL-10,TGF-β,and CD206 content and expression(P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared with the EA group,the vagotomy+EA group showed increased M1 proportion,IL-6,TNF-α,and CD86 content and expression(P<0.01),and decreased M2 proportion,IL-10,TGF-β,and CD206 content and expression(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION EA at Feishu(BL13)and Zusanli(ST36)acupoints can improve lung function and pulmonary inflammation in COPD mice,promoting the polarization of alveolar macrophages from M1 to M2,which is mediated by the vagus nerve.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of electroacupuncture in mice with chronic obstructive pul-monary disease(COPD)and its underlying mechanisms.METHODS Forty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal group,model group,electroacupuncture(EA)group,vagotomy group,and vagotomy+EA group,with 8 mice in each group.Except for the normal group,all groups were exposed to cigarette smoke for 12 weeks to establish a COPD model.After model establishment,the vagotomy group and the vagotomy+EA group underwent left cervical vagotomy before EA.EA treatment was performed at the Feishu(BL13)and Zusanli(ST36)acupoints once daily for 20 minutes for a total of 14 days.After EA,the pulmonary ventilation function of the mice was detected by a pulmonary function analysis system;lung tissue pathology was observed by HE staining;the levels of inter-leukin(IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),IL-10,and transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)in lung tissue were detected by ELISA;the expression of CD86 and CD206 proteins in lung tissue was detected by Western blot;the distribution of F4/80+CD86+(M1 type)and F4/80+CD206+(M2 type)cells in lung tissue was determined by flow cytometry;the expression of CD86 and CD206 in lung tissue was observed by immunofluorescence.RESULTS Compared with the normal group,the model group showed significantly decreased lung function(P<0.01),obvious lung pathological damage,increased M1 proportion,IL-6,TNF-α,CD86 content and expression(P<0.05,P<0.01),and decreased M2 proportion,IL-10,TGF-β,CD206 content and expression(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the EA group showed varying degrees of improvement in lung function and pathology;the M1 proportion,IL-6,TNF-α,and CD86 were reduced(P<0.05,P<0.01),while the M2 proportion,IL-10,TGF-β,and CD206 were increased(P<0.05,P<0.01).The vagotomy group showed worsened lung function and pathology,increased IL-6,TNF-α,and CD86 content and expression(P<0.05,P<0.01),and decreased IL-10,TGF-β,and CD206 content and expression(P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared with the EA group,the vagotomy+EA group showed increased M1 proportion,IL-6,TNF-α,and CD86 content and expression(P<0.01),and decreased M2 proportion,IL-10,TGF-β,and CD206 content and expression(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION EA at Feishu(BL13)and Zusanli(ST36)acupoints can improve lung function and pulmonary inflammation in COPD mice,promoting the polarization of alveolar macrophages from M1 to M2,which is mediated by the vagus nerve.

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment on M1 polarization of alveolar macrophages (AMs) in rats with acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and to explore the potential protective mechanism of EA.Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, and three groups of EA pretreatment [including a Chize (LU5) group, a Zusanli (ST36) group and a Chize (LU5) plus Zusanli (ST36) group], with eight rats in each group. The model rats of ALI were established by instilling LPS [2 mg/(kg·bw)] into the trachea of rats for 3 h. The rats in each EA pretreatment group were pretreated with EA for 30 min per day at the corresponding bilateral acupoints 6 d before instilling LPS. Three hours after modeling, the pulmonary function of the rats was tested, and the lung tissue was taken to calculate the ratio of lung wet weight to dry weight (W/D). The pathological lung changes and the injury score were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The contents of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in rat's bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA and protein expression levels of M1 macrophage markers clusters of differentiation 86 (CD86), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and its signaling pathway factor Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 in the alveoli were detected by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. Results: After being induced by LPS, the pulmonary function of the model rats showed that the forced expiratory volume in 0.1 s (FEV0.1), forced expiratory volume in 0.3 s (FEV0.3), and their respective ratios of FEV to forced vital capacity (FVC) (including FEV0.1/FVC and FEV0.3/FVC) were significantly decreased (P<0.01), while the W/D of lung tissue was increased (P<0.01). The score of lung injury was significantly higher (P<0.01). The contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MPO in the BALF and the mRNA and protein expression levels of CD86, iNOS, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 in the lung tissue were significantly increased (P<0.01). After EA pretreatment, the FEV0.1, FEV0.3, FEV0.1/FVC, and FEV0.3/FVC were significantly increased, the lung injury score decreased significantly, and the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MPO in the BALF and the expression levels of CD86, iNOS, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 mRNAs and proteins in the alveoli decreased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the other two single acupoint groups, the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MPO in the BALF and the expression levels of CD86, iNOS, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 mRNAs in the alveoli in the Chize (LU5) plus Zusanli (ST36) group were significantly lower (P<0.01). Conclusion: EA pretreatment at Chize (LU5) and Zusanli (ST36) can inhibit inflammation and reduce pulmonary injury in ALI rats induced by LPS. The effect of the combination of Chize (LU5) and Zusanli (ST36) is better than that of using these two acupoints separately, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of AMs' M1 polarization by down-regulation TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective To compare complications of ureteroneocystostomy and end-to-end ureteroureterostomy after kidney transplantation. Methods Eighty allograft renal transplantation patients between January 2005 and October 2008 were divided into two groups according to urinary tract reconstruction approach: ureteroneocystostomy group (40 cases) and ureteroureterostomy group (40 cases). Complications including leakage of urine,vesicoureteral reflux,obstruction of ureter and urinary tract infection were recorded.Results In ureteroneocystostomy group and ureteroureterostomy group,the patients were followed up for 13 - 46 (24.5 ± 8.9), 13 - 46 (26.0 ± 7.2) months postoperatively, urinary complications were recorded for 10 eases (25.0%, 10/40) and 4 cases (10.0%, 4/40)(P > 0.05), incidence of leakage of urine were 2.5%(1/40)and 5.0%(2/40) (P > 0.05), vesicoureteral reflux were 10.0% (4/40) and 0 (P ＜ 0.05), obstruction of ureter were 0 and 5.0% (2/40) (P > 0.05), and urinary tract infection were 12.5% (5/40) and 0 (P < 0.05).Conclusions Compared with ureteroneoc ystostomy, ureteroureterostomy can reduce the incidence of vesicoureteral reflux and urinary tract infection,it can be regarded as the first choice for urinary tract reconstruction after kidney transplant recipients.