Objective To observe the mechanism of action of electroacupuncture at Neiguan(PC6)points for alleviating lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced myocadial dysfunction in sepsis model mice.Methods Forty-eight male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups,namely normal control group,saline+electroacupuncture group,sepsis model group,and sepsis+electroacupuncture group.The rats in the sepsis model group and sepsis+electroacupuncture group were given intraperitoneal injection of LPS(5 mg/kg)to induce the sepsis model.The mice were treated with electroacupuncture immediately after injection.At hour 6 after the LPS intervention,the left ventricular short-axis end-systolic diameter(LVIDs)and fractional shortening(FS)of the left ventricular were monitored by color doppler echocardiography.The levels of inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)and interleukin 6(IL-6)in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and the protein expression levels of Rho-kinase(ROCK)1 and ROCK2,and phosphorylation levels of myosin phosphatase substrate 1(MYPT1)and myosin light chain 2(MLC2)in cardiac tissues were detected by Western Blot.Results Compared with the normal control group,the LVIDs in mice in the sepsis model group was increased(P<0.05),FS was decreased(P<0.05),the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum were all elevated(P<0.001),and the level of phosphorylation of MYPT1,a substrate of ROCK,in cardiac tissues was significantly elevated(P<0.05);compared with the sepsis model group,the LVIDs in the sepsis+electroacupuncture group was decreased(P<0.05),FS was increased(P<0.05),the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),and the phosphorylation level of MYPT1 was significantly reduced(P<0.05),and the protein expression levels of ROCK1 and ROCK2 as well as the phosphorylation level of MLC2 had no significant differences(P>0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at Neiguan points may reduce systemic and local inflammatory reaction levels in mice with sepsis model to improve cardiac function through inhibiting the activation of Rho/ROCK signaling pathway in cardiac tissues,thus producing myocardial protection efficacy.

Experimental course of pathology is a very important part of pathology teaching.Motivation of students was promoted through improving the professional knowledge of teachers,using teacher-student interacted teaching methods,increasing network courscs,using multimedia in teaching and adding extracurricular practice in our university.In the meantime,it was successful and fruitful to use diversified evaluation systems to assess the comprehensive experimental capacity of students,which can provide experiences in reform of pathological experimental teaching.