ReviewDiabetology & metabolic syndrome2025
Effects of acupuncture on the insulin signaling pathway and mitochondrial AMPK pathway in an animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus: systematic evaluation and meta-analysis.
Review in Diabetology & metabolic syndrome, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The efficacy and potential mechanism of the acupuncture treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of data from animal models.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Pooled it
- Regulatory networks of post-translational modifications in diabetic kidney disease: from pathogenic mechanisms to therapeutic frontiers.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Review
- Uncovering the gut - skin axis: the role of specific traditional Chinese medicine interventions in regulating gut microbiota for diabetic foot ulcers and the analysis of research status.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Review
- Acupuncture for diabetic nephropathy: mechanisms, clinical evidence, and future perspectives.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPrevious studies of acupuncture for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have focused on lowering blood glucose and improving symptoms; however, the mechanisms underlying these effects have not been systematically reviewed. Acupuncture can improve impaired glucose-lipid metabolism and correct insulin resistance (IR) by modulating relevant pathway cytokines, which are both key process in T2DM pathogenesis.
objectivesThe aim of this study was to quantitatively assess the efficacy of acupuncture in an animal model of T2DM.
methodsThree researchers identified animal studies of acupuncture intervention in T2DM by searching nine databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Ovide Medline, BIOSIS Previews , Wan Fang, CNKI, and VIP. Literature that met the inclusion criteria was screened, required data were extracted, and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 17.0.
resultsA total of 31 studies with 619 animals were included-309 in the acupuncture group and 310 in the model group-all of which were male rodents. The mean quality score of the studies was 3.7, which indicated low quality. Meta-analysis showed that first acupuncture led to a significant reduction in body weight gain and hematological factors, and reduced food intake and water intake in T2DM animals. Second acupuncture significantly reduced blood glucose and serum insulin, increased insulin sensitivity, and decreased IR index in T2DM animals. Finally acupuncture had the following beneficial effects on the insulin signaling pathway and mitochondrial AMPK pathway: (1) insulin signaling pathway: Acupuncture can balance the phosphorylation levels of IRS-1 tyrosine 895 and IRS-1 serine/threonine 307 and promote the expression of all factors of the insulin signaling pathway, namely, IRS-1 mRNA, p-IRS-1, PI3K p85, PI3K mRNA, AKT, p-AKT, GLUT 4, and GLUT 4 mRNA-promoting glucose uptake, alleviating IR, and ameliorating impaired glucose metabolism. (2) Mitochondrial AMPK pathway: acupuncture significantly promoted AMPK, AMPK mRNA, p-AMPK, SIRT1, SIRT1 mRNA, PGC-1α, PGC-1α mRNA and NRF1, improved mitochondrial dysfunction, enhanced glucose metabolism, and alleviated T2DM symptoms.
conclusionAcupuncture can improve glucose-lipid metabolism, enhance insulin sensitivity, and correct IR, likely by promoting the expression of signaling factors in the insulin and mitochondrial AMPK pathways. These findings offer potential explanations for the mechanism of action and clinical effects of acupuncture in the treatment of T2DM.
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