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Acupuncture regulates dynamic flux of Ca²⁺, Na⁺, and H₂O₂ in skeletal muscle injury induced by eccentric exercise in rats

ZHANG Xue-Lin^1,*, ZHAO Qian¹, LIU Ai-Shan¹, DUAN Ming-Liang¹, DING Jing-Jing¹, WANG Hua²

¹College of Physical Education, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, China；²College of Life Sciences, Huzhou Normal University, Huzhou 313000, China

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of acupuncture on dynamic changes in Ca2+, Na+, and H2O2 flux following eccentric exercise-induced muscle injury. The total of 324 healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control group (C), eccentric exercise group (E), eccentric exercise with acupuncture group (EA), EA with TRP channel blocker group (EAT), EA with NOX2 blocker group (EAN) and EA with placebo group (EAP). Gastrocnemius muscles were subject to lengthening contractions with percutaneous electrical stimulation, followed by immediate pretreatment with blocking agents. After 30 min, acupuncture needling was administered to the gastrocnemius muscle, and real-time dynamic changes of Ca2+, Na+ and H2O2 flux were measured with non-invasive micro-test technique during the needle retention period, immediately, 3 h, 6 h, and 24 h post-extraction respectively. Results showed that compared with the E group, acupuncture significantly increased net Ca2+ efflux (P < 0.05), extended the period of net Na+ influx, and significantly decreased net H2O2 efflux (P < 0.05). However, these effects were significantly attenuated in the EAT and EAN groups, where excessive net H2O2 efflux was observed (P < 0.001). These findings indicate that acupuncture regulates the dynamic changes of Ca2+, Na+ and H2O2 flux by activating the TRP channels and interacting with NOX2 activity following eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury.

Key words: eccentric exercise; skeletal muscle injury; acupuncture; the non-invasive micro-test technique; mechanotransduction

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 张学林　　E-mail:

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2025.0019

Citing This Article：

ZHANG Xue-Lin, ZHAO Qian, LIU Ai-Shan, DUAN Ming-Liang, DING Jing-Jing, WANG Hua. Acupuncture regulates dynamic flux of Ca²⁺, Na⁺, and H₂O₂ in skeletal muscle injury induced by eccentric exercise in rats. Acta Physiol Sin 2025; 77 (1): 47-61 (in Chinese with English abstract).