To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at “Jiaji” (EX-B2) on asthma symptoms, airway inflammation and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in rats with allergic asthma (AA), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of AA.

Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into blank control, AA model, EA and medication groups, with 10 rats in each group. The AA model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 1 mL 1% ovalbumin (OVA, grade V) suspension on the 1^st day and 7^th day and inhalation of 1% aerosol OVA (on the 15^th day) for 30 min, once daily for 2 weeks. Rats of the EA group received EA stimulation (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1-2 mA) of bilateral EX-B2 for 20 min, once daily for 2 weeks. Rats of the medication group received intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone solution (0.5 mg/kg), once daily for 2 weeks. The nasal scratching or tickling (0-3 points) and asthma (0-9 points) behavior were graded, and their summation (behavior score) was used for assessing the severity of asthma. Histopathological changes of the lung tissue were assessed by giving pathological score after H. E. staining. The contents of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lgE in the serum were detected by ELISA. The immunoactivity of Beclin1 and microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B light chain 3B (LC3B) in the lung tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. The ratio of expression levels of p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT, p-mTOR/mTOR proteins in the lung tissue were detected by Western blot.

Compared with the blank control group, the model group showed an increase in the behavior score (shortness of breath, wheezing and irritability, etc), pathological scores of the lung tissue, contents of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 in the BALF and IgE in the serum, the immunoactivity of Beclin1 and LC3B in the lung tissue (P<0.01), and a decrease in the body weight, and the ratio of expression levels of p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/mTOR proteins in the lung tissue (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, the behavior score, pathological score, the contents of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IgE, and the immunoactivity of Beclin1 and LC3B were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the ratio of expression levels of p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/mTOR proteins were considerably increased (P<0.05, P<0.01) in both EA and medication groups. The body weight of rats was increased (P<0.05) in the EA group compared to the model group. No significant differences were found between the EA and medication groups of all the indexes mentioned above.

EA of EX-B2 can improve the symptoms of asthma in rats with AA, which may be associated with its functions in inhibiting the autophagy level of airway epithelial cells in the lung tissue and reducing airway inflammation by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

To observe the protective effect of acupuncture on ovarian function and its impact on key molecules (Yes associated protein [YAP] and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ binding motif [TAZ]) in the Hippo signaling pathway in poor ovarian response (POR) mice, in order to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of POR by inhibiting ovarian cell apoptosis.

The mice with regular motility cycle after screening were randomly divided into normal control, model and acupuncture groups, with 12 mice in each group. The POR model was established by gavage of tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside suspension (50 mg·kg^-1·d^-1) for 2 weeks, and the mice of the normal control group was received an equal volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution by gavage. The mice in the acupuncture group received manual acupuncture stimulation of bilateral “Taichong”(LR3) and “Sanyinjiao”(SP6), and “Zhongji”(CV3) and “Guanyuan”(CV4), with the filiform needles retained for 20 min, once daily for successive 10 days. The estrous cycle was determined by using vaginal exfoliated cell smear, and the body mass was detected weekly. The levels of serum anti Mullerian hormone (AMH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histopathological changes of the ovarian tissue were observed after H. E. staining, and the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells was measured using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) assay. The expression levels of YAP, TAZ, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X (Bax), cysteine aspartic acid specific protease-3 (Caspase-3) mRNAs and proteins were detected using real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively.

Compared with the normal control group, the model group had an increase in the rate of estrous cycle disorder, estrous cycle, serum FSH and LH content, and apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells, and expression levels of Bax and Caspase-3 mRNAs and p-YAP, Bax and Caspase-3 proteins (P<0.01), and a decrease in the body mass, number of retrieved oocytes, ovarian wet weight and ovarian index, serum AMH and E2 contents, and the expression levels of YAP, TAZ, Bcl-2 mRNAs and proteins (P<0.01). After acupuncture intervention, modeling induced increase and decrease of indexes mentioned above were completely reversed (P<0.05, P<0.01). H. E. staining showed deformed ovarian structure, reduced number of normal developing follicles and increased number of atretic follicles, disordered arrangement of the granulosa cells with fewer hierarchy in the model group, which was improved in the acupuncture group, such as increase in the number and improvement in the shape of normal ovarian follicles and reduction of the atretic follicles.

Acupuncture intervention can inhibit the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells and improve the ovarian function of POR mice, which may be related to its effects in up-regulating the expressions of YAP, TAZ (key molecules of Hippo signaling pathway).