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Objective: To observe the cardioprotective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation at "Neiguan" (PC 6) in mice with myocardial ischemia (MI) and to explore the involvement of cardiac beta-adrenergic receptors (beta-AR) in the cardioprotective effect of EA intervention., Methods: Adult male C 57 BL/6 mice of wild type and beta1/beta2-AR double-knockout (beta1/beta2-AR(-/-)) mice were randomly and respectively divided into control group and EA group, with 8 mice in each group. These mice were subject to procedures of basic control, fatigue swimming and fatigue swimming + EA. The model was established by fatigue swimming for inducing acute MI. EA (2 Hz, 0.5 mA) was applied to bilateral "Neiguan" (PC 6) for 30 min, once daily for 7 days in both EA groups. The ST-segment of electrocardiogram (ECG) of standard limb lead II, heart rate were recorded by using a biophysical amplifier and the arrhythmia score was assessed according to Curtis and Walker's methods (1988)., Results: Self-comparison showed that, compared with the baseline, the amplitude of ECG-ST II segment was obviously increased in swimming fatigue C 57 BL/6 mice (P < 0.01) and further obviously increased in beta1/beta2-AR(-/-) mice (P < 0.01), suggesting an acute MI in C 57 BL/6 mice and a worsened MI in beta1/beta2-AR(-/-) mice. Simultaneously, the heart rate was markedly decreased (P < 0.05), and the score of arrhythmia obviously increased in both C 57 BL/6 and beta1/beta2-AR(-/-) mice (P < 0.05). Compared with the modeling procedures, ECG-ST II amplitude and arrhythmia score were significantly decreased in C 57 BL/6 mice of the EA group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), rather than in the beta1/beta2-AR(-/-) mice of the EA group (P > 0.05). In addition, heart rate levels of both C 57 BL/6 mice and beta1/beta2-AR(-/-) mice had no significant differences between control and EA groups (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: EA at "Neiguan" (PC 6) can protect the heart from swimming fatigue-induced MI in C 57 BL/6 mice not in beta1/beta2-AR(-/-) mice, suggesting an involvement of beta1/beta2-AR in the protective effect of EA.

Aim: By genechip cDNA microarray, the genes expressions of Stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase (Scd-2) and brain fatty acid-binding protein (B-FABP) were studied in the central nervous system (CNS) of the mice to discuss the mechanism of exercise-induced fatigue., Methods: Building the model of fatigued animal and using the genechip cDNA microarray, the genes expressions were analyzed between the control group and fatigue group mice., Results: The genes expression of Scd-2 and B-FABP were obvious different in the brain of fatigued group mice than of control group., Conclusion: Exercise-induced nerve center fatigue is correlated with genes expressions of lipid metabolism.

Objective: To study the mechanism of exercise-induced fatigue (EIF) and effect of Tifukang (TFK) from the gene transcription level., Methods: In situ hybridization was adopted, using biotin-labelled proopiomelanocortin (POMC) cRNA probe and integrating with image pattern analysis, to observe the effect of TFK on changes of POMC mRNA expression in different areas of EIF rat's brain., Results: TFK could significantly strengthen POMC mRNA expression in hippocampal CA1 and hypothalamus and inhibit obviously that in frontal cortex of chronic fatigue rats. In rats managed with long term (7 weeks in total) and high intensity exercise with the speed increased from 15 m/min gradually to 35 m/min, 20 to 25 min/d, after the final exercise, the POMC mRNA expression in frontal cortex and hippocampal CA1 decreased (the latter recovered at 30 minutes after ending exercise but the former was not recovered yet 3 hours after the ending of exercise), while that in hypthalamus increased. TFK could remarkably increase POMC gene expression in the above-mentioned three areas after the final exercise especially prominent at the time of 3 hours after the ending of exercise., Conclusion: The dynamic changes of POMC gene expression in different areas of EIF rat's brain were not the same, and TFK displayed an important dynamic regulating effect on it.