Publications by authors named "Mengjiang Lu"

Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how electroacupuncture stimulation (ES) affects sympathetic innervation in brown adipose tissue (BAT) through the BMP8B-NRG4-ErbB4 signaling pathway, with different effects depending on the stimulation site.
  • Mice fed a high-fat diet were used to measure BAT thermogenesis and metabolism, revealing that ES on forelimbs and abdomen significantly increased sympathetic nerve activity (SNA), while hindlimb stimulation had limited effects.
  • Results indicated that ES enhances catecholaminergic signals in BAT via specific neural pathways and that blocking ErbB4 disrupts the metabolic benefits of ES, highlighting the potential of ES in improving BAT function.
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Background: Quercetin has received extensive attention for its therapeutic potential treating respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection diseases. Recent studies have highlighted quercetin's ability of suppressing alveolar macrophages (AMs)-derived lung inflammation. However, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of quercetin against RSV infection still remains elusive.

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Purpose: Leptin resistance represents a primary pathological manifestation in obesity. Investigating potential treatments and associated mechanisms to restore leptin sensitivity is crucial for effective obesity management. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of acupoints catgut embedding (ACE) in addressing obesity and its associated leptin resistance.

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Article Synopsis
  • Brown and white adipose tissue play a crucial role in heat production (thermogenesis), but there is a lack of effective methods to safely activate this process and understand the underlying molecular mechanisms.
  • The study focused on using electroacupuncture (ES) at a specific abdominal point (ST25) to stimulate thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (iBAT) and assessed the related neural mechanisms.
  • Findings showed that ES activated sympathetic nervous system pathways, particularly from brain regions like the medial preoptic area (MPA), leading to enhanced thermogenic activity in iBAT and confirming the importance of sensory nerve remodeling in this process.
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Objectives: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Zhongwan" (CV 12) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) on gastric motility and explore the response time of the acupoints at different regions for regulating gastric motility and its neuromechanism.

Methods: Thirty-three SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a vagectomy group and a splanchnicotomy group, 11 rats in each one. Vagectomy and splanchnicotomy were operated in the rats of the vagectomy group and the splanchnicotomy group, respectively.

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Long-term high-fat diet (HFD) in adolescents leads to impaired hippocampal function and increases the risk of cognitive impairment. Studies have shown that HFD activates hippocampal microglia and induces hippocampal inflammation, which is an important factor for cognitive impairment. Electroacupuncture stimulation (ES), a nerve stimulation therapy, is anti-inflammatory.

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Introduction: Hemiparetic gait is one of the most common sequelae of a stroke. Acupuncture has shown potential in correcting hemiplegic gait patterns and improving motor function recovery after stroke. However, controversial findings and a lack of supportive evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture for post-stroke hemiplegia.

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Introduction: Electroacupuncture (EA) has a favorable impact on blood glucose stability. Blood glucose homeostasis is linked to sexual dimorphism. The majority of research has, however, focused on male participants, and sex differences have not been adequately taken into account.

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The physiological function of adipose tissue is dominated by the sympathetic nerve system (SNS), but obesity and other diseases may cause the abnormality of the SNS signaling pathway. Acupuncture has been proved to be an effective the-rapy to improve the function of SNS in adipose tissue. Based on the physiological and pathological significance of SNS, this paper reviewed the molecular pathways in which acupuncture directly or indirectly regulated the function of SNS in adipose tissue.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common pathogen that causes lower respiratory tract disease in infants and the elderly, and no vaccination is presently available. Qingfei oral liquid (QF), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been shown in clinic to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Aim Of The Study: The present study investigated whether QF can suppress RSV-induced lung inflammation in mice models via fatty acid-dependent macrophage polarization.

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Recently, the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) has emerged as a target for therapeutic innovation. Impairment of dynamic relationships within the MGBA promotes the pathological features of metabolic diseases. However, experimental data on the MGBA has limited clinical application.

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Chronic low-grade inflammation of visceral adipose tissue can cause obesity-associated insulin resistance, leading to metabolic syndrome. However, anti-inflammatory drugs and those for obesity management can lead to serious side effects such as abnormal heart rate and blood pressure. Consequently, this study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of electroacupuncture stimulation (ES) for obesity and associated chronic inflammation.

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Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause varying degrees of lung inflammation in children. Qingfei Oral Liquid (QF) is effective in treating childhood RSV-induced lung inflammation (RSV-LI) in clinics, but its pharmacological profiles and mechanisms remain unclear. This study combined network Pharmacology, lipidomics, pharmacodynamics, and pathway validation to evaluate the therapeutic mechanisms of QF.

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Electroacupuncture (EA) is considered to have potential antidiabetic effects; however, the role of the pancreatic intrinsic nervous system (PINS) in EA-induced amelioration of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated whether EA at ST25 exerts any beneficial effects on insulin resistance (IR), inflammation severity, and pancreatic β cell function via the PINS in a rat model of a high-fat diet-streptozotocin (HFD/STZ)-induced diabetes. To this end, Sprague Dawley rats were fed with HFD to induce IR, followed by STZ (35 mg/kg, i.

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Electroacupuncture (EA) can effectively relieve hyperglycemia and gastric emptying disorders in diabetic gastroparesis (DGP). However, the effect of EA on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) gastroparesis and its mechanism in the enteric nervous system (ENS) are rarely studied. We investigated the therapeutic effect of EA at ST36 and its effect on the main inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters in the ENS in DGP rats.

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Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on food intake, body weight, number of taste bud cells and the expression of lipid taste bud receptor (CD36), Gα-gustducin, post-synaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) and neurofilament light chain (NFL) proteins in the tongue or hippocampus in obese rats, so as to explore its mechanism underlying reducing body weight.

Methods: A total of 30 male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model and EA groups (=10 in each group, 5 rats for H.E.

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Background: Previous studies had suggested that electroacupuncture (EA) can promote white adipose tissue (WAT) browning to counter obesity. But the mechanism was still not very clear.

Aim: In this study, we aim to study the effect of EA on promoting inguinal WAT (iWAT) browning and its possible mechanism.

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There is evidence to show that electro-acupuncture (EA) has a promotive effect on both lipolysis and thermogenesis, and that these mechanisms underlie the anti-obesity effect of EA. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is known to play a role in thermogenesis. Additionally, obesity is characterized by a chronic low-grade inflammatory state.

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Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupunctur (EA) and moxibustion of left or right "Tian-shu" (ST25) on intragastric pressure (IGP) in normal rats.

Methods: Twenty male SD rats were equally and randomly divided into EA group and moxibustion group. EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 2 mA) or moxibustion (46-48 ℃) was applied to unilate-ral ST25 for 2 min.

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Background: We aimed to assess whether electroacupuncture (EA) at PC6 affects gastric motility via the vagovagal reflex and if so whether brainstem vagovagal neurocircuits and related transmitters are involved.

Methods: Gastric motility was measured in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by placing a small manometric balloon in the gastric antrum. The rats were subjected to control, sham surgery, vagotomy, sympathectomy, and microinjection group, including artificial cerebrospinal fluid, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glutamic acid (L-Glu).

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Background: Electroacupuncture (EA) at ST36 can significantly improve gastrointestinal symptoms, especially in promoting gastrointestinal motility. The automatic nervous system plays a main role in EA, but few studies exist on how vagovagal and sympathetic reflexes affect EA to regulate gastrointestinal motility.

Aim: To study the role of vagovagal and sympathetic reflexes in EA at ST36, as well as the associated receptor subtypes that are involved.

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Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Zhongwan" (CV12) and "Zusanli" (ST36) in different combinations of stimulating parameters on intragastric pressure (IGP) in normal rats so as to explore their best combinations for promoting gastrointestinal mobility.

Methods: A total of 90 male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 EA groups:CV12-1 mA+ST36-1 mA, CV12-1 mA+ST36-2 mA, CV12-1 mA+ST36-4 mA, ST36-1 mA+CV12-1 mA, ST36-2 mA+CV12-1 mA, and ST36-4 mA+CV12-1 mA which the first acupoint was stimulated first, followed by the second in each group (=15 rats/group). Before (1 min), and 0-30 s, 30-60 s, 60 -90 s, and 90-120 s during EA stimulation of the left ST36 or CV12 first or later, the IGP was measured via an inserted intragastric balloon, a connected pressure transducer and an amplifier.

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To review the development history of the experimental animal acupoints. To analyze different historical periods, the names of animal acupoints, positioningmethods and references, it is believed that the understanding of experimental animal acupoints has gone through four stages, including initiation, accumulation, specification and standards. At the same time, some important events in the development of experimental animal acupoints were sorted out, including the publication of key papers, books, teaching materials, and the convening of important conferences.

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