Electroacupuncture improves retinal function in myopia Guinea pigs probably via inhibition of the RhoA/ROCK2 signaling pathway
Yijie Liu,
Qi Hao,
Xiuzhen Lu,
Pubo Wang,
Dadong Guo,
Xiuyan Zhang,
Xuemei Pan,
Qiuxin Wu,
Hongsheng Bi
Affiliations
Yijie Liu
Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250014, China
Qi Hao
Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250014, China
Xiuzhen Lu
Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Academy of Eye Disease Prevention and Therapy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Therapy of Ocular Diseases, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250002, China
Pubo Wang
Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250014, China
Dadong Guo
Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Academy of Eye Disease Prevention and Therapy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Therapy of Ocular Diseases, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250002, China
Xiuyan Zhang
Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Academy of Eye Disease Prevention and Therapy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Therapy of Ocular Diseases, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250002, China
Xuemei Pan
Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Academy of Eye Disease Prevention and Therapy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Therapy of Ocular Diseases, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250002, China
Qiuxin Wu
Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Academy of Eye Disease Prevention and Therapy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Therapy of Ocular Diseases, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250002, China; Corresponding author.
Hongsheng Bi
Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Academy of Eye Disease Prevention and Therapy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Therapy of Ocular Diseases, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250002, China; Corresponding author.
Objective: To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on retinal function in guinea pigs with negative lens-induced myopia (LIM) by inhibiting the RhoA/ROCK2 signaling pathway. Methods: Guinea pigs were randomly divided into normal control (NC) group, LIM group, EA group, SHAM acupoint (SHAM) group, and electro-acupuncture + ROCK pathway inhibitor Y27632 (EA + Y27632) group. The refraction, axial length, retinal blood flow density, choroidal vascular index, retinal physiological function, the contents of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) of each group were determined. The changes in retinal tissue structure were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and the expression of the RhoA/ROCK2 signaling pathway-related molecules in the retina was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blot. Results: Myopic refraction, AL, and MDA content in the LIM and SHAM groups were significantly increased, retinal blood flow density and CVI, SOD, GSH, CAT, T-AOC content were decreased. After EA intervention, myopic refraction, AL, and MDA content decreased, retinal blood flow density and CVI, SOD, GSH, CAT, T-AOC content were increased. H&E staining showed that the thickness of the guinea pig retina, the thickness of the inner and outer layers of the nucleus, and the number of cells were significantly increased after EA intervention. qPCR and western blot analyses showed that the expression of RhoA、ROCK2、MLC、CollagenⅠ、MMP-2、TIMP-2 and α-SMA were elevated in the LIM and SHAM group than those in the NC group. Compared with the LIM group, the expression of EA group was significantly decreased. Conclusions: Electroacupuncture can improve retinal function by improving retinal blood flow, reducing retinal oxidative damage, inhibiting RhoA/ROCK2 signaling pathway and controlling extracellular matrix remodeling, thus delaying the occurrence and development of myopia.
