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Liu Y, Yu Z, Wang X, Yuan MQ, Lu MJ, Gong MR, Li Q, Xia YB, Yang GH, Xu B, Litscher G, Xu TC. Neurophysiological mechanisms of electroacupuncture in regulating pancreatic function and adipose tissue expansion. World J Diabetes 2025; 16. [DOI: doi:10.4239/wjd.v16.i5.101354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Electroacupuncture (EA) has been recognized for its beneficial effects on glucolipid metabolism, potentially through the regulation of sensory nerve coordination. The expandability of peripancreatic adipose tissue (PAT) is implicated in the transition from obesity to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the specific pancreatic responses to EA require further elucidation.
AIM
To investigate the influence of EA on pancreatic glucolipid reduction level in a high-fat diet (HFD) rat model.
METHODS
To delineate the precise pathway through which EA mediates interactions between PAT and islets, we assessed the expression levels of NGF, TRPV1, insulin, as well as other proteins in the pancreas and PAT. This approach enabled us to identify the acupoints that are most conducive to optimizing glycolipid metabolism.
RESULTS
The ST25, LI11 and ST37 groups attenuated HFD-induced obesity and insulin resistance (IR) to distinct degrees, with ST25 group having the greatest effect. EA at ST25 was found to modify the local regulatory influence of PAT on the pancreatic intrinsic nervous system. Specifically, EA at ST25 obviously activated the TRPV1-CGRP-islet beta cell pathway, contributing to the relief of glucolipid metabolic stress. The beneficial effects were abrogated following the chemical silencing of TRPV1 sensory afferents, confirming their indispensable role in EA-mediated regulation of islet and PAT function. Furthermore, in TRPV1 knockout mice, a reduction in PAT inflammation was observed, along with the recovery of islet beta cell function. EA at LI11 and ST37 demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties and helped ameliorate IR.
CONCLUSION
The PAT ecological niche influenced the progression from obesity to T2DM through various immunometabolic pathways. EA at ST25 could regulate glucolipid metabolism via the TRPV1-CGRP-islet beta cell pathway.
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Liu Y, Yu Z, Wang X, Yuan MQ, Lu MJ, Gong MR, Li Q, Xia YB, Yang GH, Xu B, Litscher G, Xu TC. Neurophysiological mechanisms of electroacupuncture in regulating pancreatic function and adipose tissue expansion. World J Diabetes 2025; 16:101354. [DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i5.101354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2024] [Revised: 02/12/2025] [Accepted: 03/14/2025] [Indexed: 04/25/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Electroacupuncture (EA) has been recognized for its beneficial effects on glucolipid metabolism, potentially through the regulation of sensory nerve coordination. The expandability of peripancreatic adipose tissue (PAT) is implicated in the transition from obesity to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the specific pancreatic responses to EA require further elucidation.
AIM To investigate the influence of EA on pancreatic glucolipid reduction level in a high-fat diet (HFD) rat model.
METHODS To delineate the precise pathway through which EA mediates interactions between PAT and islets, we assessed the expression levels of NGF, TRPV1, insulin, as well as other proteins in the pancreas and PAT. This approach enabled us to identify the acupoints that are most conducive to optimizing glycolipid metabolism.
RESULTS The ST25, LI11 and ST37 groups attenuated HFD-induced obesity and insulin resistance (IR) to distinct degrees, with ST25 group having the greatest effect. EA at ST25 was found to modify the local regulatory influence of PAT on the pancreatic intrinsic nervous system. Specifically, EA at ST25 obviously activated the TRPV1-CGRP-islet beta cell pathway, contributing to the relief of glucolipid metabolic stress. The beneficial effects were abrogated following the chemical silencing of TRPV1 sensory afferents, confirming their indispensable role in EA-mediated regulation of islet and PAT function. Furthermore, in TRPV1 knockout mice, a reduction in PAT inflammation was observed, along with the recovery of islet beta cell function. EA at LI11 and ST37 demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties and helped ameliorate IR.
CONCLUSION The PAT ecological niche influenced the progression from obesity to T2DM through various immunometabolic pathways. EA at ST25 could regulate glucolipid metabolism via the TRPV1-CGRP-islet beta cell pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine, Yancheng 224000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ming-Qian Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Meng-Jiang Lu
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Mei-Rong Gong
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qian Li
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - You-Bing Xia
- Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Guan-Hu Yang
- Department of Specialty Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, United States
| | - Bin Xu
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Gerhard Litscher
- High-Tech Acupuncture and Digital Chinese Medicine, Swiss University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Bad Zurzach 5530, Switzerland
| | - Tian-Cheng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
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Dyńka D, Rodzeń Ł, Rodzeń M, Pacholak-Klimas A, Ede G, Sethi S, Łojko D, Bartoń K, Berry K, Deptuła A, Grzywacz Ż, Martin P, Unwin J, Unwin D. Ketogenic Diets for Body Weight Loss: A Comparison with Other Diets. Nutrients 2025; 17:965. [PMID: 40289934 PMCID: PMC11945412 DOI: 10.3390/nu17060965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2025] [Revised: 03/04/2025] [Accepted: 03/07/2025] [Indexed: 04/30/2025] Open
Abstract
With the prevalence of obesity and overweight increasing at an alarming rate, more and more researchers are focused on identifying effective weight loss strategies. The ketogenic diet (KD), used as a treatment in epilepsy management for over 100 years, is additionally gaining popularity as a weight loss method. Although its efficacy in weight loss is well documented, the areas where it may be beneficial to other dietary approaches need to be carefully examined. The objective of this paper is to identify the potential benefits of the KD over alternative dietary weight loss strategies based on a comprehensive literature review. It has been shown that the KD may be more bioenergetically efficient than other dietary strategies, inter alia owing to its effect on curtailing hunger, improving satiety and decreasing appetite (influence on hunger and satiety hormones and the sensation of hunger), inducing faster initial weight loss (associated with lower glycogen levels and reduced water retention), and controlling glycaemia and insulinemia (directly attributable to the low-carbohydrate nature of KD and indirectly to the other areas described). These effects are accompanied by improved insulin sensitivity, reduced inflammation (through ketone bodies and avoidance of pro-inflammatory sugars), reduced need for pharmacological obesity control (the diet's mechanisms are similar to those of medication but without the side effects), and positive impacts on psychological factors and food addiction. Based on the authors' review of the latest research, it is reasonable to conclude that, due to these many additional health benefits, the KD may be advantageous to other diet-based weight loss strategies. This important hypothesis deserves further exploration, which could be achieved by including outcome measures other than weight loss in future clinical trials, especially when comparing different diets of equal caloric value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian Dyńka
- Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Siedlce, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland
| | | | | | | | - Georgia Ede
- Independent Researcher, 197 Lions Mouth Road, Amesbury, MA 01913, USA
| | - Shebani Sethi
- Metabolic Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | - Dorota Łojko
- Department of Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Science, 60-572 Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Ken Berry
- Independent Researcher, Holladay, TN 38341, USA
| | - Adam Deptuła
- Faculty of Production Engineering and Logistics, Opole University of Technology, 76 Prószkowska St., 45-758 Opole, Poland
| | - Żaneta Grzywacz
- Faculty of Production Engineering and Logistics, Opole University of Technology, 76 Prószkowska St., 45-758 Opole, Poland
| | - Peter Martin
- Funmed Clinics, Vastra Hamngatan 13A, 41117 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jen Unwin
- The Collaborative Health Community Foundation, Oxford OX2 9HZ, UK
| | - David Unwin
- Faculty of Health Social Care and Medicine, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk L39 4QP, UK
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