1. Academic Validation
  2. Acupuncture Activates IRE1/XBP1 Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway in Parkinson's Disease Model Rats

Acupuncture Activates IRE1/XBP1 Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway in Parkinson's Disease Model Rats

  • Behav Brain Res. 2024 Jan 22:114871. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114871.
Zhifang Wang 1 Menglin Kou 2 Qiyue Deng 2 Haotian Yu 2 Jilin Mei 2 Jing Gao 3 Wen Fu 3 Baile Ning 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
  • 2 Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China; The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
  • 3 The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
  • 4 The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: ningbaile@163.com.
Abstract

Acupuncture has demonstrated its efficacy as a treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD). Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the potential mechanisms underlying acupuncture's effects on PD treatment. Our approach involved several steps. Firstly, we assessed the behavioral changes in PD rats, the modulation of dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels in the striatum, as well as the alteration in α-synuclein (α-syn) levels in the midbrain, aiming to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in PD treatment. Secondly, we selected endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibitors and activators to assess the impact of ER stress on PD rats. Lastly, we utilized an IRE1 Inhibitor to observe the influence of acupuncture on the IRE1/XBP1 pathway in PD rats. The findings of this study revealed that acupuncture improved the autonomous motor function, balance ability, coordination, and sensory motor integration function in the PD model rats. Additionally, it increased the levels of DA and 5-HT in the striatum while decreasing the levels of α-syn in the midbrain. Acupuncture also activated the expression of ER stress in the midbrain and upregulated the expression of IRE1/XBP1 in the striatum of PD model rats. Based on these results, we concluded that acupuncture may enhance the behavior of PD rats by activating the IRE1/XBP1 ER stress pathway, associated with the reduction of midbrain α-syn expression and the increase in striatal DA and 5-HT levels in unilateral 6-OHDA lesioned rats.

Keywords

IRE1/XBP1 pathway; Parkinson's disease; acupuncture; endoplasmic reticulum stress; α-synuclein.

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