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| Electroacupuncture Inhibits PI3K/Akt/NF-κB Pathway Activation to Alleviate Endometriosis in Rats |
| YANG Yang, TIAN Dandan, et al |
| Northwest Women and Children's Hospital, Shaanxi Xi'an 710061, China |
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Abstract Objective: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on endometriosis (EMS) in rats and its influence on the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway. Methods: An EMS rat model was established and randomly divided into a sham surgery group (n=20), a model group (n=20), and an electroacupuncture group (n=20). After 28 days of treatment, the volume of ectopic endometrium was analyzed, and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining was used to assess pathological morphological changes in the endometrium. Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were employed to evaluate protein expression and cytokine levels in the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway. Results: Compared with the sham surgery group, the mass and volume of ectopic endometrium in the model group were significantly increased (P<0.05). In contrast, the electroacupuncture group showed a significant reduction in the mass and volume of ectopic endometrium compared to the model group (P<0.05). Histomorphologically, electroacupuncture treatment significantly alleviated endometrial gland hyperplasia, vacuolization, inflammatory cell infiltration, increased gland-to-stroma ratio, and stromal thickening. Furthermore, compared to the sham surgery group, the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the serum and peritoneal fluid of the model group were significantly elevated (P<0.05), while electroacupuncture treatment reduced the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 (P<0.05). Additionally, the expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, and p-p65 proteins was significantly increased in the model group compared to the sham surgery group, whereas electroacupuncture treatment significantly decreased the expression of these proteins compared to the model group. Conclusion: Electroacupuncture prevents the occurrence of EMS in rats by inhibiting the activity of the PI3K/Akt and NF-κB pathways.
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2025, Vol. 31 
