The influence of acupuncture on blastocyst nidation when Cx43 expression at the acupoints is silenced

Abstract

Objective To investigate the influence of acupuncture on promoting rat blastocyst nidation with Cx43 expression at the acupoints silenced, and to relate Cx43 with acupuncture's effects. Methods Ma-ted female rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal control, model, acupuncture, interference-control and interference. Mifepristone was used to induce a model of nidation disorder, and RNA interference technology was used to silence the expression of Cx43 at acupoints. P-Cx43-shRNA (1) was injected locally into the acu-points of rats in the interference group, and P-con-shRNA was injected in the interference-control group. Acu-puncture was administered to the acupuncture, interference-control and interference groups for 7 days. On the 8th day of pregnancy, the quality of blastocysts, pregnancy rates, and the average amount of blastocysts in each group were observed. Results ①The mRNA and protein level of Cx43 at the zusanli (ST36) acupoints in the interference group were significantly lower than in the acupuncture group ( P<0.05, P<0.01). There was no significant difference between the interference-control group and the acupuncture group. ② Compared with the normal control group, the quality of blastocysts in the model and interference groups was bad, and the amount was less. Their size was comparatively small, they were inhomogeneous, poorly distributed and had poor blood supply. The results improved in the acupuncture group and the interference-control group compared with the model group. ③The pregnancy rates in the normal control, model, acupuncture, interference-control and inter-ference groups were 100% , 50% , 75% , 75% , and 50% respectively, but these differences were not statisti-cally significant. ④The average amount of blastocysts in the model and interference groups was significantly less than in the normal group (P≤0.01). Compared with the acupuncture group, the average amount of blastocysts in the interference group was lower (P≤0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture can improve the quality and quan-tity of blastocysts in a rat model of nidation disorder. Local injection of Cx43 shRNA expression vector can si-lence the expression of Cx43 in acupoints and markedly influence acupuncture's effect. This demonstrated that Cx43 was involved in acupuncture's effects. Key words: Cx43; Acupuncture; RNA interference; Nidation