Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal (Jan 2021)
Spatial topological analysis of sympathetic neurovascular characteristic of acupoints in Ren meridian using advanced tissue-clearing and near infrared II imaging
- Wei Hu,
- Junda Chen,
- Caixia Sun,
- Xiaoyu Tong,
- Wenhan Lu,
- Ziyong Ju,
- Yong Xia,
- Zhenle Pei,
- Mingzhen Xu,
- Xiaoqing Xu,
- Jiemei Shi,
- Yi Li,
- Haofeng Chen,
- Yizhou Lu,
- Ying Ying,
- Hongru Gao,
- Aaron J.W. Hsueh,
- Fan Zhang,
- Zhi Lü,
- Yi Feng
Affiliations
- Wei Hu
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China
- Junda Chen
- School of Mathematical Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; School of Mathematical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Caixia Sun
- Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers and iChem, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Xiaoyu Tong
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China
- Wenhan Lu
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China
- Ziyong Ju
- Department of Acupuncture and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
- Yong Xia
- Department of Acupuncture and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
- Zhenle Pei
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China
- Mingzhen Xu
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China
- Xiaoqing Xu
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China
- Jiemei Shi
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China
- Yi Li
- Department of Acupuncture and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
- Haofeng Chen
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China
- Yizhou Lu
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China
- Ying Ying
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China
- Hongru Gao
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China
- Aaron J.W. Hsueh
- Division of Reproductive and Stem Cell Biology, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
- Fan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers and iChem, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Zhi Lü
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; Corresponding authors at: P.O. Box 291, 138 Yi-Xue-Yuan Road, Shanghai 200032, China (Y. Feng). P.O. School of Mathematical Sciences, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai, 200433, P.R. China. Tel: 86-21-5566-5005, Fax: 86-21-5566-5005 (Z. Lü).
- Yi Feng
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Shanghai 200032, China; Corresponding authors at: P.O. Box 291, 138 Yi-Xue-Yuan Road, Shanghai 200032, China (Y. Feng). P.O. School of Mathematical Sciences, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai, 200433, P.R. China. Tel: 86-21-5566-5005, Fax: 86-21-5566-5005 (Z. Lü).
- Journal volume & issue
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Vol. 19
pp. 2236 – 2245
Abstract
Acupuncture has been used for treating various medical conditions in traditional Chinese medicine. Both manual and electro-acupuncture stimulate specific acupoints to obtain local and systemic biological effects, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we used three-dimensional tissue-clearing technology to study acupoints on the Ren meridian of mice to reveal the distribution, density, branching, and relationships between blood vessels and nerves. Using topological Mapper methods, we found that sympathetic neurovascular networks were denser in the CV 4 acupoint compared with surrounding non-acupoints. Furthermore, high resolution in vivo real-time vascular imaging using the near infrared-II probe LZ-1105 demonstrated increased blood flow in the CV 4 acupoint compared with neighboring non-acupoints after manual or electro-acupuncture. Consistent with earlier findings, our research indicated that acupuncture could enhance local blood flow, and our high-resolution 3D images show for the first time the important role of sympathetic neurovascular networks in the CV 4 acupoint.
