Acupuncture Intervention Study, The Persistent High Intraocular Pressure In Rat Retinal Ganglion Cell Damage

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture on the rat model of chronic, moderately elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), and study the mechanism of it initially.Methods: The model of chronic, elevated intraocular pressure rat was induced by Akria. The rats were divided into 3 groups randomly: normal control group, model group and acupuncture treated group. Jingming and Taichong points are the points of acupuncture, were used to treat the rats with elevated intraocular pressure to observe the effection on mfERG, morphologic of retina, the apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells(RGCs) by labeled dextram polymer method (LDP) method and measure the ganglion cell layer ply and nitric oxide in retina by nitrate reductase(NO)method.Results: ① Acupuncture can prevent elevating intraocular pressure effectively. ②Acupuncture can improve the eyesight function:shorten mfERG P1 wave total peak fallow volue and buildup mfERG P1 wave total feedback density.③ Acupuncture can recede the the content of NO in retina effectively ,consequently reduce its toxicity effect to RGCs. ④ Acupuncture can adjust and control the gene expression in RGCs of retina.Conclusion: after continuous elevated intraocular pressure for 1 months, the experimental diabetic rats showed immunohistochemical changes of RGCs. Acupuncture can improve the eyesight function , protect or lighten the apoptosis of RGCs, and prevent the optic nerve from elevated IOP, by improving the optic function, relieving the toxic effect of NO, preventing the apoptosis of RGCs.