Effect of electroacupuncture on leptin resistance in rats with diet-induced obesity

In the present study, the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on body weight and sensitivity of leptin in diet-induced obese rats were examined and the underlying mechanisms were explored. After feeding with high-fat (HIF) diet for 12 weeks, the diet-induced obese rats received electroacupuncture stimulation three times per week for four weeks. The expression of the leptin receptor in the hypothalamus was measured using immunohistochemistry. The plasma leptin was detected with ELISA. The leptin and leptin receptor mRNA was examined with real-time PCR. Results showed that electroacupuncture treatment led to a reduction of body weight, decrease in the plasma leptin levels, and an increase in leptin receptor expression in the hypothalamus. Our results suggested that regulating the expression of leptin and the leptin receptor might be one of the molecular mechanisms underlying the reduction of body weight in diet-induced obese rats by electroacupuncture treatment.