Electroacupuncture pretreatment alleviates myocardial injury through regulating mitochondrial function

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Research
• Mitochondrial Biology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Electroacupuncture (EA) is recognized for neuroprotective effects, particularly in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.
• Bupivacaine, a local anesthetic, can induce significant myocardial toxicity.
• The potential of EA to mitigate bupivacaine-induced cardiac injury remains to be fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) in alleviating bupivacaine-induced myocardial injury.
• To explore the underlying mechanisms, focusing on mitochondrial structure and function.

Main Methods:

• Bupivacaine-induced myocardial injury model established in Wistar rats.
• Assessment of mitochondrial damage and dysfunction using Western blot, PCR, transmission electron microscopy, and ELISA.
• Evaluation of alleviating effects of lipid emulsion, acupoint injection, and EA pre-treatment on oxidative stress.

Main Results:

• Bupivacaine induced mitochondrial structural damage, reduced ATP synthesis, and impaired energy metabolism.
• EA pre-treatment, particularly at the PC6 acupoint, significantly alleviated mitochondrial damage and dysfunction.
• EA upregulated key mitochondrial proteins (e.g., COX, UCP2, VDAC1, Bcl-2) and downregulated others (e.g., SLC25A6, MDA), suggesting a protective effect via the TFAM/NRF-1/PGC-1α pathway.

Conclusions:

• Electroacupuncture pre-treatment at the PC6 acupoint effectively mitigates bupivacaine-induced myocardial mitochondrial damage.
• EA demonstrates potential as a therapeutic strategy for bupivacaine cardiotoxicity.
• Findings provide a theoretical foundation for clinical applications of EA in managing drug-induced myocardial injury.