Abstract
Objective: This study investigated the influence of electroacupuncture (EA) and its potential underlying mechanisms on adipose tissue in obese mice. Methods: Three-week-old male C56BL/6 mice were randomly divided to feed or not to feed high-fat diet (HFD), named HFD group and chow diet (CD) group, respectively. After 12 weeks, CD and HFD mice were randomly divided into two groups, respectively, to receive or not receive EA for 4 weeks. Body weight (BW) was monitored. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and metabolic chamber recordings were performed. Blood samples and adipose tissue were collected for the analysis of leptin, triglyceride levels, and fat browning-related proteins. Results: EA significantly reduced food intake, BW, and white adipose tissue (WAT)/BW ratio; decreased the adipocyte size and serum concentrations of triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol; and increased oxygen consumption in HFD mice. Compared with the CD mice, the HFD mice had elevated fasting serum glucose level and impaired glucose tolerance; however, these parameters were decreased by EA treatment. Meanwhile, EA promoted the protein and mRNA expressions of UCP1, PRDM16, and PGC-1α in adipose tissue, and activated sympathetic nerves via p-TH, A2AR, and β3AR in white adipose tissue. Conclusions: EA reduced food intake, BW, TG, and cholesterol, and improved glucose tolerance in HFD mice. This ameliorative effect of EA on obesity-related symptoms associated with its promoted adipose tissue plasticity via activating sympathetic nerves.
Highlights
Obesity and overweight are closely related to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cancer, which have severely threatened human health and life and attracted much attention in many countries [1,2,3]
After 12 weeks of high-fat diet, compared with the CD group (26.2 ± 1.3 g), the body weight (BW) of the HFD group (31.3 ± 2.4 g) increased significantly (Figure 1A), in which 23 mice (54.76%) reached more than 20% of the average BW of the CD group (Figure 1B)
We observed that EA significantly reduced the HFD mice’s BW, especially at weeks 3 and 4 (Figure 1C)
Summary
Obesity and overweight are closely related to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cancer, which have severely threatened human health and life and attracted much attention in many countries [1,2,3]. Under fasting conditions or high energy needs, the stored TAG in adipocytes is hydrolyzed into free fatty acids (FFAs) and glycerol via activation of lipolytic pathways [10]. There are three types of adipocytes: white, beige/ brite, and classical brown. They differ in lineage origin, morphology, abundance of mitochondria, number of lipid droplets, gene expression, and functions [12]. It has been observed that the adipose tissue is more dynamic than previously believed [13], especially the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) in response to appropriate stimulation has aroused widespread interest and has become a new target for obesity therapeutics [14,15,16,17]
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