Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41809531›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in endocrinology2026

Electroacupuncture may improve endometrial receptivity in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation mice by activating AVP neurons.

Tiantian Ma, Qian Li, Junwei Li, Yi Fang, Yan Zan, Yu Zhuang, Qian Zhu, Liangjun Xia, Youbing Xia

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Tiantian MaDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qinghai University Medical College, Xining, Qinghai, China.
Qian LiSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Junwei LiDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qinghai University Medical College, Xining, Qinghai, China.
Yi FangSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Yan ZanSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Yu ZhuangDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qinghai University Medical College, Xining, Qinghai, China.
Qian ZhuDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qinghai University Medical College, Xining, Qinghai, China.
Liangjun XiaSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Youbing XiaDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qinghai University Medical College, Xining, Qinghai, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) can lead to reduced endometrial receptivity during the window of implantation (WOI) and disrupted expression of endometrial clock genes. This study aimed to explore the potential mechanisms by which electroacupuncture (EA) improves endometrial receptivity in COH mice, focusing on the regulation of central and peripheral clock genes within the circadian system. Methods: Experiment 1 included three groups of mice: control (CTR), COH, and EA. Each group was further subdivided into six subgroups according to sampling time. Tissue samples were collected at ZT12-ZT8 on days 4-5 of pregnancy (D4-5). Uterine morphology was examined, and serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) levels, endometrial receptivity markers, and mRNA expression of circadian clock genes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian-uterine (HPOU) axis were assessed. In Experiment 2, mice were assigned to five groups: CTR, COH, EA, agonist (AG), and antagonists and EA (AT+EA). All mice were sacrificed at ZT4 on day 5 of pregnancy (D5). We measured arginine vasopressin (AVP) neuropeptide levels in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN); serum E2 and P4 levels; mRNA expression of circadian clock genes in the HPOU axis; and both protein and mRNA levels of endometrial receptivity markers. Results: EA ameliorates uterine morphological abnormalities in COH mice during the WOI. Furthermore, EA upregulates the mRNA expression of the endometrial receptivity markers, decreases serum P4 levels, and restores the circadian rhythmicity of HPOU axis clock genes. The most significant intergroup differences regarding endometrial receptivity markers were observed at WOI-ZT4. At this time point, both EA and AG interventions increased AVP neuropeptide expression, suppressed serum P4 levels, modulated HPOU axis clock gene expression, and elevated the expression of endometrial receptivity markers at the protein and mRNA levels. Notably, the co-administration of AT with EA attenuated the therapeutic efficacy of EA at this stage. Conclusion: EA may enhance endometrial receptivity in COH mice at the WOI-ZT4 stage by activating AVP neurons in the SCN and restoring the circadian expression pattern of clock genes along the HPOU axis. These findings provide experimental evidence supporting a circadian mechanism by which EA may enhance endometrial function during assisted reproductive processes.

Indexed as

Arginine VasopressinElectroacupunctureEmbryo ImplantationEndometriumNeuronsOvulation InductionAnimalsCircadian RhythmEstradiolFemaleMicePregnancyProgesteroneSuprachiasmatic NucleusArginine VasopressinEstradiolProgesteroneAVP neuronsclock genescontrolled ovarian hyperstimulationelectroacupunctureendometrial receptivity

Identifiers

PMID41809531
PMCPMC12968007

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.