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Electroacupuncture mimics exercise-induced changes in skeletal muscle gene expression in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Benrick, Anna ; Pillon, Nicolas J. ; Nilsson, Emma LU orcid ; Lindgren, Eva ; Krook, Anna ; Ling, Charlotte LU orcid and Stener-Victorin, Elisabet (2020) In Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 105(6). p.2027-2041
Abstract

Context: Autonomic nervous system activation mediates the increase in whole-body glucoseuptake in response to electroacupuncture but the mechanisms are largely unknown.Objective: To identify the molecular mechanisms underlying electroacupuncture-inducedglucose uptake in skeletal muscle in insulin-resistant overweight/obese women with andwithout polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Design/Participants: In a case-control study, skeletal muscle biopsies were collected from 15women with PCOS and 14 controls before and after electroacupuncture. Gene expression andmethylation was analyzed using Illumina BeadChips arrays.Results: A single bout of electroacupuncture restores metabolic and transcriptional alterationsand induces epigenetic changes in... (More)

Context: Autonomic nervous system activation mediates the increase in whole-body glucoseuptake in response to electroacupuncture but the mechanisms are largely unknown.Objective: To identify the molecular mechanisms underlying electroacupuncture-inducedglucose uptake in skeletal muscle in insulin-resistant overweight/obese women with andwithout polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Design/Participants: In a case-control study, skeletal muscle biopsies were collected from 15women with PCOS and 14 controls before and after electroacupuncture. Gene expression andmethylation was analyzed using Illumina BeadChips arrays.Results: A single bout of electroacupuncture restores metabolic and transcriptional alterationsand induces epigenetic changes in skeletal muscle. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 180unique genes (q < 0.05) whose expression was changed by electroacupuncture, with 95% ofthe changes towards a healthier phenotype. We identified DNA methylation changes at 304unique sites (q < 0.20), and these changes correlated with altered expression of 101 genes(P < 0.05). Among the 50 most upregulated genes in response to electroacupuncture, 38% werealso upregulated in response to exercise. We identified a subset of genes that were selectivelyaltered by electroacupuncture in women with PCOS. For example, MSX1 and SRNX1 weredecreased in muscle tissue of women with PCOS and were increased by electroacupuncture andexercise. siRNA-mediated silencing of these 2 genes in cultured myotubes decreased glycogensynthesis, supporting a role for these genes in glucose homeostasis.Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence that electroacupuncture normalizes gene expressionin skeletal muscle in a manner similar to acute exercise. Electroacupuncture might thereforebe a useful way of assisting those who have difficulties performing exercise.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Epigenetics, PCOS, Transcriptomics
in
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
volume
105
issue
6
pages
2027 - 2041
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:32232327
  • scopus:85086091589
ISSN
0021-972X
DOI
10.1210/clinem/dgaa165
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9623abd3-26cc-471b-8268-22aae74dce73
date added to LUP
2021-01-12 09:32:16
date last changed
2024-06-27 05:57:56
@article{9623abd3-26cc-471b-8268-22aae74dce73,
  abstract     = {{<p>Context: Autonomic nervous system activation mediates the increase in whole-body glucoseuptake in response to electroacupuncture but the mechanisms are largely unknown.Objective: To identify the molecular mechanisms underlying electroacupuncture-inducedglucose uptake in skeletal muscle in insulin-resistant overweight/obese women with andwithout polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Design/Participants: In a case-control study, skeletal muscle biopsies were collected from 15women with PCOS and 14 controls before and after electroacupuncture. Gene expression andmethylation was analyzed using Illumina BeadChips arrays.Results: A single bout of electroacupuncture restores metabolic and transcriptional alterationsand induces epigenetic changes in skeletal muscle. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 180unique genes (q &lt; 0.05) whose expression was changed by electroacupuncture, with 95% ofthe changes towards a healthier phenotype. We identified DNA methylation changes at 304unique sites (q &lt; 0.20), and these changes correlated with altered expression of 101 genes(P &lt; 0.05). Among the 50 most upregulated genes in response to electroacupuncture, 38% werealso upregulated in response to exercise. We identified a subset of genes that were selectivelyaltered by electroacupuncture in women with PCOS. For example, MSX1 and SRNX1 weredecreased in muscle tissue of women with PCOS and were increased by electroacupuncture andexercise. siRNA-mediated silencing of these 2 genes in cultured myotubes decreased glycogensynthesis, supporting a role for these genes in glucose homeostasis.Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence that electroacupuncture normalizes gene expressionin skeletal muscle in a manner similar to acute exercise. Electroacupuncture might thereforebe a useful way of assisting those who have difficulties performing exercise.</p>}},
  author       = {{Benrick, Anna and Pillon, Nicolas J. and Nilsson, Emma and Lindgren, Eva and Krook, Anna and Ling, Charlotte and Stener-Victorin, Elisabet}},
  issn         = {{0021-972X}},
  keywords     = {{Epigenetics; PCOS; Transcriptomics}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{2027--2041}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism}},
  title        = {{Electroacupuncture mimics exercise-induced changes in skeletal muscle gene expression in women with polycystic ovary syndrome}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgaa165}},
  doi          = {{10.1210/clinem/dgaa165}},
  volume       = {{105}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}