Electroacupuncture has been generally applied to target obesity, the principle of which is based on the meridian in traditional Chinese medicine. Although Telocytes (TCs) have been reported as the potential essence of meridians, their specific role in the electroacupuncture treatment of obesity remains unclear. Thus, we investigated the cellular evidence for TC-mediated electroacupuncture to alleviate obesity. Mice were divided into three groups as follows: electroacupuncture group (EA), control group (CG), and normal group (NG). The present study showed that the weight of perirenal white adipose tissue (rWAT), the serum level of total cholesterol, and the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were all significantly decreased after electroacupuncture. Ultrastructurally, the prolongations (telopodes, Tps) of TCs were in direct contact with adipocytes, and lipid droplets were distributed on the surface of Tps. The proportions of double-positive fluorescent areas of TCs (CD34 and PDGFRα) were significantly elevated with concomitant elongated Tps in EA mice, as compared to those in CG mice. The expression of Cx43 and CD63 (gap junction and exosome markers) was significantly enhanced. These characteristics facilitated the transmission of electroacupuncture stimulation from skin to rWAT. We conclude that electroacupuncture relieved obesity by activating TCs morphologically, upregulating the gap junctions between TCs, and increasing the exosomes around TCs.

中文翻译：

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特洛细胞介导电针改善小鼠肥胖的细胞证据。

电针治疗肥胖已普遍应用，其原理是基于中医经络。尽管特洛细胞（TC）已被报道为经络的潜在本质，但其在电针治疗肥胖中的具体作用仍不清楚。因此，我们研究了 TC 介导的电针缓解肥胖的细胞证据。将小鼠分为三组：电针组（EA）、对照组（CG）和正常组（NG）。本研究表明，电针后肾周白色脂肪组织（rWAT）重量、血清总胆固醇和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇均显着降低。从超微结构上看，TCs的延长部分（telopodes，Tps）与脂肪细胞直接接触，并且脂滴分布在Tps的表面。与 CG 小鼠相比，EA 小鼠中 TC（CD34 和 PDGFRα）双阳性荧光区域的比例随着 Tps 的延长而显着升高。Cx43 和 CD63（间隙连接和外泌体标记物）的表达显着增强。这些特性促进了电针刺激从皮肤传输到rWAT。我们得出的结论是，电针通过在形态上激活 TC、上调 TC 之间的间隙连接以及增加 TC 周围的外泌体来缓解肥胖。