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Figure 8 | BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Figure 8

From: Abundant expression and functional participation of TRPV1 at Zusanli acupoint (ST36) in mice: mechanosensitive TRPV1 as an “acupuncture-responding channel”

Figure 8

Western blotting showed components for calcium wave propagation (CWP) were expressed abundantly at ST36. Components tested were the ATP-releasing hemichannels pannexin 1 (PanX 1) and connexin 43 (Cx 43) and the purinergic receptors P2Y1 and P2Y2. Tissues from nerve (Ner), muscle (Mus), epimysium (Epi), and subcutaneous loose connective tissue (ScLCT) of ST36 or sham were collected in a manner similar to that described for mechanosensitive channel western blotting. (A, B, C, and D) Pannexin 1, connexin 43, P2Y1, and P2Y2 were expressed in nerve and muscle. (A) Pannexin 1 was more abundantly expressed at ST36 epimysium compared with ST36 ScLCT (P < 0.05) and sham ScLCT (P < 0.05). (B) Connexin 43 was more abundantly expressed at ST36 epimysium compared with ST36 ScLCT (P < 0.05) and sham ScLCT (P < 0.01). (C) P2Y1 was more abundantly expressed in ST36 muscle compared with the sham (P < 0.05) and in ST36 ScLCT compared with ST36 epimysium (P < 0.01) and sham ScLCT (P < 0.01.) (D) P2Y2 was more abundantly expressed at ST36 epimysium compared with ST36 ScLCT (P < 0.05) and sham ScLCT (P < 0.01). All four components were expressed in muscle and the epimysium of ST36. These two layers also abundantly expressed TRPV1. The relative levels of target proteins were calculated in a manner similar to that used for western blotting of mechanosensitive channels (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01; Mann–Whitney rank sum test; pannexin 1, n = 8–12; connexin 43, n = 6; P2Y1, n = 5–9; P2Y2, n = 7). Data are means ± S.E.M.

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