Effects of Zusanli and Ashi Acupoint Electroacupuncture on Repair of Skeletal Muscle and Neuromuscular Junction in a Rabbit Gastrocnemius Contusion Model

Figure 4

Immunohistochemical staining of growth differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8) in the skeletal muscle. Muscle cytoplasm reacting with GDF-8 was stained brown. The staining of GDF-8 was very weak in the normal muscle tissue. But, after contusion, muscle fibers showed strong immunoreaction for GDF-8 (a, ×400). The expression peaked on the 7th and 14th day and decreased significantly by the 28th day. The mean optical density (MOD) was assessed to quantify expression of GDF-8 in different groups. GDF-8 expression was higher in the contusion group compared to the treatment groups (EA-ST36, EA-Ashi, and EA-AS groups) (P < 0.05). Compared with the EA-ST36 group, GDF-8 expression in the EA-Ashi group was lower (P < 0.05) on day 7 but became higher on the 28th day (P < 0.05) (b) (EA-Ashi versus EA-ST36, ^▲P < 0.05; EA-AS versus EA-Ashi and EA-ST36, ^#P < 0.05; contusion group versus treatment groups, ^★P < 0.05; EA-Ashi, electroacupuncture at Ashi acupoints; EA-ST36, electroacupuncture at ST36; EA-AS, electroacupuncture at Ashi acupoints and ST36; treatment groups (EA-Ashi, EA-ST36, and EA-AS)).

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