The Effects of Warm Acupuncture on the Expression of <i>AMPK</i> in High-Fat Diet-Induced MAFLD Rats
This study investigated the effects of acupuncture and warm acupuncture on the expression and mechanism of the AMP-activated protein kinase (<i>AMPK</i>) signalling pathway associated with lipid accumulation in the liver tissue of rats with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver di...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Current Issues in Molecular Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/46/10/687 |
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| author | Yumi Lee Donghee Choi Junghye Park Jae Gwan Kim Taejin Choi Daehwan Youn |
| author_facet | Yumi Lee Donghee Choi Junghye Park Jae Gwan Kim Taejin Choi Daehwan Youn |
| author_sort | Yumi Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigated the effects of acupuncture and warm acupuncture on the expression and mechanism of the AMP-activated protein kinase (<i>AMPK</i>) signalling pathway associated with lipid accumulation in the liver tissue of rats with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) induced by a high-fat diet. Sprague–Dawley rats were categorised into four groups: control (CON), untreated MAFLD (MAFLD), and two MAFLD groups treated with acupuncture (ACU) and warm acupuncture (WA). The treatment groups underwent 16 application sessions over 8 weeks at the SP9 and BL18 acupoints. We measured the expression levels of <i>AMPK</i>, sterol regulatory element-binding protein1 (<i>SREBP1</i>), acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (<i>ACC</i>), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorα (<i>PPARα</i>), carnitine palmitoyltransferase1 (<i>CPT1</i>), and <i>CPT2</i>. <i>AMPK</i> was activated in both ACU and WA groups. WA downregulated both SREBP1 and ACC expression at the protein level, whereas the acupuncture treatment downregulated SREBP1 expression. Additionally, WA selectively induced the activation of signalling pathways related to <i>AMPK, PPARα, CPT1</i>, and <i>CPT2</i> at the mRNA level. Histological observations confirmed that fat accumulation was reduced in both the ACU and the WA groups compared to the MAFLD group. The WA treatment-promoted amelioration of HFD-induced MAFLD may be related to the activation of the <i>AMPK/SREBP1/ACC</i> pathway in the liver. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a9d4873300a14aeeb94511c47f5ad259 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1467-3037 1467-3045 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Current Issues in Molecular Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-a9d4873300a14aeeb94511c47f5ad2592025-08-20T02:11:05ZengMDPI AGCurrent Issues in Molecular Biology1467-30371467-30452024-10-014610115801159210.3390/cimb46100687The Effects of Warm Acupuncture on the Expression of <i>AMPK</i> in High-Fat Diet-Induced MAFLD RatsYumi Lee0Donghee Choi1Junghye Park2Jae Gwan Kim3Taejin Choi4Daehwan Youn5Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Korean Medicine, Dongshin University, Naju 58245, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of KoreaDongHaeng Convalescent Hospital, Gwangju 61251, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Korean Medicine, Dongshin University, Naju 58245, Republic of KoreaThis study investigated the effects of acupuncture and warm acupuncture on the expression and mechanism of the AMP-activated protein kinase (<i>AMPK</i>) signalling pathway associated with lipid accumulation in the liver tissue of rats with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) induced by a high-fat diet. Sprague–Dawley rats were categorised into four groups: control (CON), untreated MAFLD (MAFLD), and two MAFLD groups treated with acupuncture (ACU) and warm acupuncture (WA). The treatment groups underwent 16 application sessions over 8 weeks at the SP9 and BL18 acupoints. We measured the expression levels of <i>AMPK</i>, sterol regulatory element-binding protein1 (<i>SREBP1</i>), acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (<i>ACC</i>), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorα (<i>PPARα</i>), carnitine palmitoyltransferase1 (<i>CPT1</i>), and <i>CPT2</i>. <i>AMPK</i> was activated in both ACU and WA groups. WA downregulated both SREBP1 and ACC expression at the protein level, whereas the acupuncture treatment downregulated SREBP1 expression. Additionally, WA selectively induced the activation of signalling pathways related to <i>AMPK, PPARα, CPT1</i>, and <i>CPT2</i> at the mRNA level. Histological observations confirmed that fat accumulation was reduced in both the ACU and the WA groups compared to the MAFLD group. The WA treatment-promoted amelioration of HFD-induced MAFLD may be related to the activation of the <i>AMPK/SREBP1/ACC</i> pathway in the liver.https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/46/10/687MAFLDlipid synthesiswarm acupuncture<i>AMPK</i><i>SREBP1</i><i>ACC</i> |
| spellingShingle | Yumi Lee Donghee Choi Junghye Park Jae Gwan Kim Taejin Choi Daehwan Youn The Effects of Warm Acupuncture on the Expression of <i>AMPK</i> in High-Fat Diet-Induced MAFLD Rats Current Issues in Molecular Biology MAFLD lipid synthesis warm acupuncture <i>AMPK</i> <i>SREBP1</i> <i>ACC</i> |
| title | The Effects of Warm Acupuncture on the Expression of <i>AMPK</i> in High-Fat Diet-Induced MAFLD Rats |
| title_full | The Effects of Warm Acupuncture on the Expression of <i>AMPK</i> in High-Fat Diet-Induced MAFLD Rats |
| title_fullStr | The Effects of Warm Acupuncture on the Expression of <i>AMPK</i> in High-Fat Diet-Induced MAFLD Rats |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effects of Warm Acupuncture on the Expression of <i>AMPK</i> in High-Fat Diet-Induced MAFLD Rats |
| title_short | The Effects of Warm Acupuncture on the Expression of <i>AMPK</i> in High-Fat Diet-Induced MAFLD Rats |
| title_sort | effects of warm acupuncture on the expression of i ampk i in high fat diet induced mafld rats |
| topic | MAFLD lipid synthesis warm acupuncture <i>AMPK</i> <i>SREBP1</i> <i>ACC</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/46/10/687 |
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