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Cited by 385Acupuncture Treatment Research StudiesVagus Nerve Stimulation ResearchNeuropeptides and Animal Physiology

Somatotopic Organization and Intensity Dependence in Driving Distinct NPY-Expressing Sympathetic Pathways by Electroacupuncture

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Liu, Shenbin, Wang, Zhi-Fu, Su, Yang-Shuai, Ray, Russell S., Jing, Xiang-Hong, Wang, Yan-Qing, Ma, Qiufu·2020·Neuron
DOI 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.07.015PMC PMC7666081
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Abstract

The neuroanatomical basis behind acupuncture practice is still poorly understood. Here, we used intersectional genetic strategy to ablate NPY+ noradrenergic neurons and/or adrenal chromaffin cells. Using endotoxin-induced systemic inflammation as a model, we found that electroacupuncture stimulation (ES) drives sympathetic pathways in somatotopy- and intensity-dependent manners. Low-intensity ES at hindlimb regions drives the vagal-adrenal axis, producing anti-inflammatory effects that depend on NPY+ adrenal chromaffin cells. High-intensity ES at the abdomen activates NPY+ splenic noradrenergic neurons via the spinal-sympathetic axis; these neurons engage incoherent feedforward regulatory loops via activation of distinct adrenergic receptors (ARs), and their ES-evoked activation produces either anti- or pro-inflammatory effects due to disease-state-dependent changes in AR profiles. The revelation of somatotopic organization and intensity dependency in driving distinct autonomic pathways could form a road map for optimizing stimulation parameters to improve both efficacy and safety in using acupuncture as a therapeutic modality.

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  • Vagus nerve can increase IL-6 production of resident macrophages in liver.

    “It has been reported that the vagus nerve can increase IL‐6 production of resident macrophages in the liver.[ 13 ]”

    From Electroacupuncture Promotes Liver Regeneration by Activating DMV Acetylcholinergic Neurons-Vagus-Macrophage Axis in 70% Partial Hepatectomy of Mice (2024) · cites this paper as [13]

    The Discussion describes the vagus nerve in an anti-inflammatory context, while the Results measure IL-6 in serum and spleen. Searches for liver-resident macrophages, Kupffer cells, and vagal effects on their IL-6 production found no passage addressing the claim in our copy; the spleen findings do not establish what happens in the liver. The retrieved passages have no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.72)

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Authors
Liu, S., Wang, Z.-F., Su, Y.-S., Ray, R. S., Jing, X.-H., Wang, Y.-Q., & Ma, Q.
Affiliations
  • Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University (CN)
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Baylor College of Medicine (US)
  • China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (CN)
Corresponding author
Ma, Qiufu
ORCID
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-11
Volume
108
Issue
3
Pages
436-450.e7
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.neuron.2020.07.015
PMC
PMC7666081
OpenAlex
W3048905934
Cited by
385
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 62 · 2025: 87 · 2024: 68 · 2023: 65 · 2022: 67 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 10
FWCI
46.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust
  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Acupuncture Treatment Research Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
Keywords
electroacupuncture, neuropeptide Y, noradrenergic neurons, sympathetic nervous system, somatotopic organization, stimulation intensity, adrenal chromaffin cells, adrenergic receptors, anti-inflammatory activity
MeSH terms
Animals, Inflammation, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Neurons, Neuropeptide Y, Sympathetic Nervous System, Electroacupuncture, Mice

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