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

Figure 7

Comparison of the expression of Neuregulin 1 (NGR1) and muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) at different time points after contusion. QRT-PCR assays were conducted with samples from rabbits to demonstrate the gene expressions of NRG1 (a) and MuSK (b). Both MuSK and NRG1 expressions were increased on the 7th day after contusion and gradually decreased near to normal in the following 3 weeks. Comparison between EA-Ashi and EA-ST36 groups showed that mean NRG1 mRNA in EA-Ashi group was higher than that of EA-ST36 group on day 7 and day 14 after contusion (P < 0.05), while mean MuSK mRNA in the EA-ST36 group was lower on the 14th and 28th day (P < 0.05) (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)).

(a)

(b)