Abstract:

Objective  To observe the lipid regulation  role of electroacupuncture intervention in the rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) induced with high fat and cholesteol forage,and to clarify the regulation mechanism of  serum retinol binding protein 4(RBP4) level and liver X receptor a (LXR-α) and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c(SREBP-1c) expressions. Methods 44 female SD rats were fed for 7 d to adapt the environment and were randomly divided into normal group,model group,Dongbaogantai group,electroacupuncture group; 11 rats in each group. The rats in normal group got routine feeding,and
the others were fed with high fat and high cholesterol forage. After 8 weeks,the models were established,the rats in electroacupuncture group
  were treated with electroacupuncture method (1.5-2.0 Hz,D.-D.wave,9V,1-3 mA)  in “Ganshu”,“Pishu”,“Geshu” for 15 min,once a day,lasted for 28 d. The changes of fasting blood-glucose(FBG),serum free fatty acids(FFA) and liver tissue homogenate triglyceride(TG) and total cholesterol(TC) levels of the rats in various groups  were tested,and enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) was used to determine the serum RBP4 levels,and Western blotting method was used to detect the  LXR-α and SREBP-1c protein expression levels in rat liver tissue. Results Compared with normal group,the FBG,serum FFA, TG and TC levels in liver tissue  homogenate and serum RBP4 level of the rats in model group were increased (P<0.01);the LXR-α and SREBP-1c protein expression levels were also increased (P<0.01). Compared with model group,the FBG,serum FFA, the TG and TC levels  in liver tissue homogenate and serum RBP4 levels of the rats in
electroacupuncture group and Dongbaogantai group were decreased (P<0.01); the LXR-α and SREBP-1c protein expression levels were also decreased (P<0.
05 or P<0.01). Conclusion Electroacupuncture method in “Fenglong”,“Zusanli”,“Sanyinjiao” can reduce the serum RBP4 level,regulate the lipid metabolism,and improve the lipid deposition of the NAFLD rats;they  have obvious therapeutic effect on NAFLD,and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the increasing of LXR-α and SREBP-1c protein expressions in liver tissue.

Key words: non-alcoholic fatty liver, electroacupuncture, retinol binding protein 4, Western blotting method, liver X receptor-&alpha, sterol regulatatory element binding protein-1c