Electroacupuncture alleviates diabetic peripheral neuropathy through modulating mitochondrial biogenesis and suppressing oxidative stress

Figure 7 Schematic illustration of the possible mechanisms underlying neuroprotective effects of electroacupuncture in experimental diabetes. In a metabolically disturbed organism, metabolic flux induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and damages mitochondria, eventually leading to an energy homeostasis imbalance in nerve cells. Electroacupuncture may attenuate oxidative stress, break the vicious cycle, and promote mitochondrial biogenesis by activating the silent information regulator type 2 homolog-1/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1α axis. CAT: Catalase; GSH-PX: Glutathione peroxidase; Nrf1: Nuclear respiratory factor 1; Nrf2: Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2; PDC-1α: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1α; SIRT1: Silent information regulator type 2 homolog-1; SOD: Superoxide dismutase; TCA: Electron transport chain; TFAM: Mitochondrial transcription factor A.