Autonomic nervous system activation mediates the increase in whole-body glucose uptake in response to electroacupuncture

Abstract

A single bout of low-frequency electroacupuncture (EA) causing muscle contractions increases wholebody glucose uptake in insulin-resistant rats.We explored the underlyingmechanism of this finding andwhether it can be translated into clinical settings. Changes in glucose infusion rate (GIR) were measured by euglycemic– hyperinsulinemic clamp during andafter 45min of low-frequencyEAin 21 overweight/obesewomenwith polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and 21 controls matched for age, weight, and body mass index (experiment 1) and in rats receiving autonomic receptor blockers (experiment 2). GIR was higher after EA in controls and women with PCOS. Plasma serotonin levels and homovanillic acid,markers of vagal activity, decreased in both controls andpatientswith PCOS.Adipose tissue expression of pro-nerve growth factor (proNGF) decreased, and thematureNGF/proNGF ratio increased afterEAin PCOS, but not in controls, suggesting increased sympathetic-driven adipose tissuemetabolism. Administrationofa-/b-adrenergic receptorblockers inratsblocked the increase inGIR in response to EA.Muscarinic and dopamine receptor antagonist also blocked the response butwith slower onset. In conclusion, a single bout ofEA increases whole-body glucose uptake by activation of the sympathetic and partly the parasympathetic nervous systems, which could have important clinical implications for the treatment of insulin resistance.—Benrick, A., Kokosar, M., Hu, M., Larsson,M., Maliqueo,M., Marcondes,R. R., Soligo,M., Protto, V., Jerlhag, E., Sazonova, A., Behre, C. J.,Højlund, K.,Thor´en,P., Stener-Victorin, E. Autonomicnervous systemactivationmediates the increase in whole-body glucose uptake in response to electroacupuncture.