This study aimed to investigate the effects of acupuncture intervention on excessive eccentric training-induced changes of perimysial junctional plates (PJPs) domain. Thirty healthy male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 5 groups: control group, four-week training group, four-week training + 1-week recovery group and four-week training + 1-week acupuncture group. Rats were subjected to continuous excessive eccentric training for 4 weeks (incline -16°, speed 16-20 m/min, 60-90 min/d, 5 day per week), and then were subjected to one-week spontaneous recovery or one-week recovery with acupuncture intervention (a piece of filiform needle for 4 min every day). The PJPs domain changes were observed under transmission electron microscopy, and the perimysial collagen network structural changes were examined by scanning electron microscopy with or without a digestion technique (NaOH). The following results were obtained: (1) Compared with control group, PJPs domain of four-week training group showed excessive shortening of sarcomere (P < 0.001), serious damage of sarcomere structure, and altered mitochondria morphology in intermyofibria and subsarcolemma; 54% degradation of sarcolemma, and increased number of caveolae (P < 0.01); reduced number of PJPs (P < 0.001). (2) In comparison with four-week training group, PJPs domain was slightly changed in four-week training + 1-week recovery group, i.e., partial recovery of sarcomere length and structure (accounting for 85.23% of control group), and recovery of intermyofibrial and subsarcolemmal mitochondria morphology; decreased sarcolemmal degradation (P < 0.001), and increased number of caveolae (P < 0.05); increased PJPs number (P < 0.001). (3) PJPs domain changed in four-week training + 1-week acupuncture group compared with four-week training + 1-week recovery group, which were substantial recovery of sarcomere length (accounting for 94.51% of control group), increased subsarcolemmal mitochondrial fusion (P < 0.001), decreased caveolae number (P < 0.001), and decreased PJPs number (P < 0.001). The results indicated that excessive eccentric training resulted in excessively reduced number of PJPs with altered PJPs domain homeostasis, thus impeding the adaptability to eccentric training. After 1 week of natural recovery, the number of PJPs was excessively increased, hindering muscle damage repair. Acupuncture intervention helped to recover PJPs number and PJPs domain homeostasis, thus significantly relieving overuse injuries.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Mitochondria ; ultrastructure ; Muscle, Skeletal ; ultrastructure ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sarcomeres ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo explore the efficacy differences in early intervention of different acupuncture and moxibustion methods on gastrocnemius fatigue in rats induced by electrical stimulation.

METHODSFifty male SD rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a hand acupuncture group, an electroacupuncture group and a moxibustion group, 10 rats in each group. Electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve was given in the control group and gastrocnemius fatigue test was induced by electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve in the model group after anesthesia without other treatment, but just take 6 times interval stimulation in the control group. The hand acupuncture group, the electroacupuncture group and the moxibustion group were treated with the corresponding acupoints stimulation method respectively for 20 min before gastrocnemius fatigue test, and Dazhui (GV 14) and Zusanli (ST 36) were selected. Immediately after gastrocnemius fatigue test, three or four gastrocnemius tissues at the same site on the right side were quickly taken for making specimen for transmission electron microscope (TEM). The changes of skeletal muscle ultrastructure of myofibrils, mitochondria, sarcoplasmic reticulum, glycogen particles were observed under TEM.

RESULTS(1) Muscle fibers disorder, partial mitochondrial vacuolization and glycogen particles smaller were shown in the model group. (2) No abnormalities were shown in the hand acupuncture group and the moxibustion group with mitochondrial morphology and number, which better than that in the model group, and glycogen particles increased. (3) Abnormal changes in morphology were shown in the electroacupuncture group with part of the muscle fibers derangement, Z line malalignment and a few mitochondria vacuolization.

CONCLUSIONHand acupuncture, electroacupuncture and moxibustion have the different effects on ultrastructure of gastrocoemius in rats. Acupuncture and moxibustion have shown good effects on the prevention and treatment of exercise-induced skeletal muscle cell and organelle damage and delaying exercise-induced fatigue.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Glycogen ; metabolism ; Male ; Mitochondria ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Moxibustion ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo document ultrastructural changes of brain, spinal cord, skeletal muscle, jejunum and lung of EV71 infection mouse model, and to explore the myotropism and pathogenesis of EV71 in nervous system.

METHODSTen-day-old suckling mice were infected with EV71 strain via the intraperitoneal route. Mice with paralysis were scarified on day 4 post infection and the brain, spinal cord, skeletal muscle, jejunum and lung were sampled for transmission electron microscopy and light microscopy.

RESULTSLesions in brain were generally mild with inner chamber swelling in some of mitochondria. Myelin sheaths of medullated fibers were split with vacuolated changes. The Nissl bodies in anterior motor neurons disappeared along with mitochondria swelling, rough endoplasmic reticulum swelling and degranulation. Cytoplasm of anterior motor neurons showed cribriform appearance accompanied by neuronophagia. The bands of skeletal muscle in the infected group disappeared with degeneration and karyopyknosis in myocytes, in addition to mitochondrial swelling. Microvilli of epithelium in jejunum became loosely arranged along with formation of spiral medullary sheath structure and mitochondria swelling. Interstitial pneumonia was observed in lungs with type II pneumocyte proliferation and evacuation of the multilamellar bodies.

CONCLUSIONSEV71 infection causes severe myositis in the mouse model suggesting a strong myotropism of EV71 virus. The presence of lesions of various degrees in central nervous system and changes in anterior motor neurons may be associated with limb paralysis.

Animals ; Brain ; ultrastructure ; virology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Enterovirus A, Human ; Enterovirus Infections ; pathology ; virology ; Jejunum ; ultrastructure ; virology ; Lung ; ultrastructure ; virology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Muscle, Skeletal ; ultrastructure ; virology ; Spinal Cord ; ultrastructure ; virology

OBJECTIVE: To study the pathological changes of genioglossus with transmission electron microscope (TEM) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) dominated by lingual region obstruction, and to explore the role of tongue organizations in the pathogenesis and its clinical significance. METHOD: Thirty-eight cases of genioglossus were collected from the patients received UPPP and partial glossectomy (3060 severe group 15 cases), 6 adult patients without oropharyneal and hypopharyneal obstructive disease received tongue tumor resection or trauma debridement surgery were collected as control group. The features of morphological changes in genioglossus were observed by TEM. RESULT: Under the TEM, in the control group,the muscle fibers of the genioglossus organization arranges regular, mitochondrial shape between muscle was regular; The below 3 kinds of variations existed simultaneously in all genioglossus specimens of all the OSAHS patients. In the mild group, myofibrillar atrophied, arranged sloppily, the gap was increased, localized filaments were edema, connective tissue between muscle bundles was proliferated, mitochondria were swelling, some were spherical, crests were still clear; In the moderate group, myofibrillar obviously atrophied with different diametric sizes and disorderliness, the Z lines were shortened or distorted, part of the myofibrillar ruptured, dissolved or disappeared, the connective tissues between muscle bundles were obviously proliferated, mitochondria were swellen, vacuolar degeneration, crests were vague, shorten and irregulatio; In the severe group, a large number of myofibrillar were fractured, dissolved, disorganized, integrated condensate lumpy, spotty or flake arranged, Z-lines were distorted or disappeared. Mitochondria were sizes, showed vacuolar degeneration, crests were disappeared, some changes were flocculent, mitochondria accumulation phenomenon was visible in some samples. Moreover, with the AHI increased, the occurence ratio of mild changes was decreased while severe changes occurence ratio increased. CONCLUSION The changes of genioglossus and mitochondrial in OSAHS patients is a continuous, progressive process, moverover, with the aggravation of OSAHS, genioglossus histopathological changes had gradually worsening tendency.
Adult ; Glossectomy ; Humans ; Mitochondria ; Muscle, Skeletal ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; complications ; Tongue ; pathology

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Desmin ; metabolism ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Muscle, Skeletal ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Myopathies, Nemaline ; metabolism ; pathology

Animals ; Bone Matrix ; pathology ; Bone and Bones ; pathology ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Collagen Type III ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; pathology ; Osteoblasts ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Osteoclasts ; pathology ; Osteocytes ; pathology ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Skin ; pathology

BACKGROUNDThe genioglossus (GG) is involved in the maintenance of an open airway for effective breathing. Although the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) was closely associated with GG dysfunction, its causes and possible treatment have not been elucidated. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) on serum adiponectin levels, electromyograph (EMG) activity and ultrastructure of GG, as well as the effect of an adiponectin supplement in anesthetized rats.

METHODSForty-two healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control (A), CIH (B) and adiponectin treatment (C) groups, 14 rats in each group. CIH was performed eight hours per day for five weeks in both groups B and C. Group C received transvenous injection of adiponectin at the dosage of 10 microg per injection, twice a week for five weeks. At the end of the 5th week the GG EMG voltage was measured and compared among the three groups. Transmission electron microscope was used to observe the ultrastructure of the GG.

RESULTSCIH caused significant hypoadiponectinemia, weakened activity of GG EMG at both baseline and hypoxia stimulation, and induced ultrastructural pathological changes, such as, myofibril discontinuities, lysis of myofilament, edema of mitochondria and disruption of cristae, vacuolus and lysis of some mitochondria. Venous supplement of adiponectin improved the above pathological changes resulting from CIH.

CONCLUSIONCIH resulted in pathological changes in GG's EMG and ultrastructure, which could be improved by supplement of adiponectin and be associated with hypoadiponectinemia caused by CIH.

Adiponectin ; administration & dosage ; blood ; Animals ; Electromyography ; Hypoxia ; blood ; physiopathology ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Muscle, Skeletal ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; blood ; physiopathology ; Tongue ; physiology ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of therapeutic ultrasound-induced microbubble destruction on the microcirculation of rat skeletal muscle.

METHODSThirty SD rats were randomized into 5 groups (n=6), namely normal saline, microbubble, ultrasound, high-energy ultrasound microbubble and low-energy ultrasound microbubble groups. Before and after the treatments, the diameter and blood flow velocity in the microvessels in the skeletal muscle were measured, and the structural changes of the injured microvessels observed by electron microscopy.

RESULTSMicrobubble cavitation did not produce significant effect on the mean arterial pressure and diameter of microvessels in rat skeletal muscle (P>0.05), but the blood flow velocity was obviously lowered and blood flow volume reduced in the microvessels. The reduction of the flow velocity and blood flow volume and their subsequent recovery were associated with ultrasound energy, and in the low ultrasound energy group, the flow velocity and blood flow volume in the of venules recovered obviously after about 15 min, which, however, took approximately 1 h for the arterioles. In contrast, recovery of the flow velocity and blood flow volume in the microvessels took more than 2 h in the high ultrasound energy group. Cavitation resulted in endothelium cell rupture, widening of the endothelial interspace and entry of the red blood cells into the extravascular tissues as revealed by electron microscopy, but no rupture of the lining endothelium was observed 2 h after the treatment.

CONCLUSIONSEndothelium cell rupture induced by microbubble cavitation may affect the local microcirculation, and lower ultrasound energy exposure is associated with milder endothelial injury and more rapid recovery.

Animals ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Blood Vessels ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Endothelial Cells ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Male ; Microbubbles ; Microcirculation ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microspheres ; Muscle, Skeletal ; blood supply ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ultrasonics

OBJECTIVETo examine mitochondrial DNA mutations in mitochondrial myopathy.

METHODSThree suspected cases of mitochondrial myopathy were examined by HE staining, histochemical staining methods and electron microscopy. The mutations in all 22 tRNA genes of mitochondrial genome were screened by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism and DNA sequencing.

RESULTSThe three cases were diagnosed as mitochondrial myopathy. The examinations revealed that patient 1 had a homoplasmic A1627G mutation in tRNA-Val gene, and patient 2 had a heteroplasmic A1627G/A mutation in tRNA-Val gene, and patient 3 had two mutationsuone was homoplasmic T5554C mutation in tRNA-Trp gene, the other was heteroplasmic A10412C/A mutation in tRNA-Arg gene.

CONCLUSIONtRNA genes mutations of mtDNA might be one of the etiologies of mitochondrial myopathy.

Adult ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; chemistry ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Mitochondrial Myopathies ; genetics ; pathology ; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; RNA, Transfer, Val ; genetics ; Young Adult

This study was intended to observe the biological properties of primary human embryonic skeletal myoblasts cultured in vitro and to inquire about the possible differentiation mechanism. Isolated human embryonic myoblasts were identified by morphology and myosin immunohischemical staining. The proliferating myoblasts were shifted to DM (DMEM supplemented with 3% fetal bovine serum) to induce differentiation. The control group was cultured in GM (DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum). The differentiation was tested by the rate of myotube formation (RMF); The change of cell cycle was tested by flow cytometry; the morphological features were observed by use of inverted microscope and TEM. The myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) such as MyoD, Myogenin and Myf5 were assayed by RT-PCR. Results showed that the primary myoblasts cultured in DM, in comparison with those cultured in GM, had higher rate of myotube formation (RMF) and myofilament formation, and more of the myoblasts cultured in DM exited the S phase. The expression level of Myogenin mRNA was obviously higher than that of the control group, the increase of MyoD mRNA expression level was not so high, however, the expression of Myf5 mRNA was decreased. These data indicate that there is a possible mechanism between differentiation and cell cycle. Besides, the mRNA expression of myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) occurs in different phase of differentiating myoblastes and implicates the diverse biological function.
Cell Cycle ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Division ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryo, Mammalian ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; Humans ; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal ; cytology ; Myoblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Myogenin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics