Mechanistic Study of Electroacupuncture Preconditioning in Alleviating Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats: Involvement of mTOR/ROS Signaling Pathway to Inhibit Ferroptosis

The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism of electroacupuncture pretreatment in reducing myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.The comparison of HR among the different groups did not yield statistically significant differences (P > 0.05). Additionally, the trend of HR change at different time points within each group was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). In contrast, the comparison of SBP among the different groups showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the trend of SBP change at different time points within each group exhibited significant differences (P < 0.05). Compared to the Sham group, rats in the I/R group and EA control group showed a significant decrease in EF, FS, SOD, p-mTOR/mTOR, GPX4, and FTH1, and an increase in CK-MB, cTnI, LDH, iron, ROS, MDA, ACSL4, and NCOA4 (P < 0.05). Compared to EA control group, rats in the EA group exhibited a significant increase in EF, FS, SOD, p-mTOR/mTOR, GPX4, and FTH1, and a decrease in CK-MB, cTnI, LDH, iron, ROS, MDA, ACSL4, and NCOA4 (P < 0.05). Compared to the EA group, rats in the EA + RAP group showed a significant decrease in EF, FS, SOD, p-mTOR/mTOR, GPX4, and FTH1, and an increase in CK-MB, cTnI, LDH, iron, ROS, MDA, ACSL4, and NCOA4 (P < 0.05).Electroacupuncture preconditioning confers protective effects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Its mechanism may involve the activation of the mTOR/ROS signaling pathway by electroacupuncture to inhibit ferroptosis.