Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the hemorheology and hepatic microcirculation in mice with chronic alcoholic liver injury (cALI), so as to explore the microcirculation mechanism of EA underlying regulating liver function in cALI mice.
Methods: Forty Kunming mice were randomly assigned to control, model, acupoint EA and non-acupoint EA groups, with 10 mice in each group. The cALI model was established by gavage with 50% ethanol (15 mL/kg，2 times per day with 8 hours' interval) for 28 d. Mice in the acupoint EA group received EA at bilateral "Zusanli" (ST36) and "Ganshu"(GB11) for 20 min, once daily for 14 d. And mice in the non-acupoint EA group received EA the spot about 1 cm lateral to GB11 and 0.5 cm lateral to ST36 respectively for 20 min, once daily for 14 d. The hepatic blood perfusion (HBP) of mice was detected by laser speckle perfusion imaging. The index of hemorheology, serum markers of liver function and hepatic histology in mice were observed by automatic blood rheometer, automatic bio-analysis machine and H.E. staining, respectively.
Results: Compared with the control group, the HBP of the model group was significantly decreased (P<0.05); the low-cut whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, and erythrocyte sedimentation level were significantly increased （P<0.05）, and the red blood cell deformation index was significantly decreased (P<0.05); serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) increased significantly (P<0.05) in the model group. Hepatocyte steatosis accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration and focal necrosis was observed in the model group. After EA at ST36 and GB11, and in comparison with the model group showed that the HBP was significantly increased (P<0.05); the low-cut whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and serum GGT were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the red blood cell deformation index was significantly increased (P<0.05）; the degree of fatty degeneration in the liver tissue was reduced, and the focal necrosis was reduced. The plasma viscosity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the red blood cell deformation index was significantly increased in the non-acupoint EA group relevant to the model group (P<0.05). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate and the red blood cell deformation index of the acupoint EA group was significantly lower than that of the non-acupoint EA group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: EA at ST36 and GB11 could improve the hemorheological disorder and the hepatic microcirculation, and inhibit the deve-lopment of liver injury in cALI mice.
目的：观察电针对慢性酒精性肝损伤(cALI)小鼠血液流变学和肝脏微循环的影响，探讨电针调节cALI小鼠肝脏功能的微循环机制。方法：将40只昆明小鼠随机分为空白组、模型组、电针穴位组和电针非穴组，每组10只。胃内灌注50%乙醇(15 mL/kg，2次/d，每次间隔8 h) 28 d建立小鼠cALI模型。电针穴位组给予双侧“肝俞”“足三里”电针干预，电针非穴组给予双侧“肝俞”旁开1 cm处、“足三里”旁开5 mm处电针干预，均20 min/次，1次/d，共14 d。用激光散斑血流成像仪观察各组小鼠的肝脏血流灌注情况；用全自动血液流变仪检测血液流变学指标水平；用全自动生化分析仪检测肝功能血清学指标的变化；HE染色法观察肝组织病理变化。结果：与空白组比较，模型组小鼠肝脏表面血流灌注量显著下降(P<0.05)；低切全血粘度、血浆粘度、血沉水平均显著升高(P<0.05)，红细胞变形指数显著下降(P<0.05)；血清ALT、GGT水平显著升高(P<0.05)；模型组可见肝细胞脂肪变性，炎性细胞浸润和局灶性坏死。与模型组比较，电针穴位组小鼠肝脏表面血流灌注量显著升高(P<0.05)；低切全血粘度、血浆粘度、血沉水平显著降低(P<0.05)，红细胞变形指数显著升高(P<0.05)；血清GGT水平显著下降(P<0.05)；肝组织中有少量肝细胞脂肪变性，局灶性坏死减少。与模型组比较，电针非穴位组的血浆粘度、血沉水平显著降低(P<0.05)，红细胞变形指数显著升高(P<0.05)。电针穴位组的血沉水平和红细胞变形指数显著低于电针非穴组(P<0.05)。结论：电针“肝俞”“足三里”对cALI小鼠血液流变性障碍、肝脏微循环以及肝损伤的发展具有一定的调节作用。.
Keywords: Chronic alcoholic liver injury; Electroacupuncture; Hemorheology; Laser speckle perfusion imaging; Liver function.