Electroacupuncture reduces blood glucose by regulating intestinal flora in type 2 diabetic mice

BACKGROUND: The development of diabetes is closely related to the gut microbiota in recent studies, which can be influenced by intestinal motility. A few studies report that electroacupuncture (EA) can lower blood glucose. EA can promote colonic motility and influence gut microbes. In this study, we explored the effect of the EA on blood glucose level in mice with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its mechanism. METHODS: The T2D mice model, fecal microbiota transplantation mice model, and Kit(W/Wv) mice model （Point mutation of mouse W locus encoding kit gene）were used to investigate the effect of EA on blood glucose as well as the mechanism; The blood glucose and insulin resistance level and the intestinal flora were evaluated. The level of intestinal junction protein, inflammatory cytokines in the serum, interstitial cells of Cajal content, and colonic motility were detected. Lastly, the IKKβ/NF‐κB‐JNK‐IRS‐1‐AKT pathway was explored. RESULTS: EA lowered the blood glucose level, altered the gut microbiota, and promoted colonic motility in T2D mice. EA‐altered microbiota decreased the blood glucose level and insulin resistance in the antibiotics‐treated diabetic mice. EA increased tight junction protein, lowered inflammatory factors, and regulated the IKKβ/NF‐κB‐JNK‐IRS‐1‐AKT pathway in the liver and muscles. EA could not reduce the blood glucose and regulated gut microbiota in the Kit(W/Wv) mice model. CONCLUSIONS: EA promoted intestinal motility to regulate the intestinal flora, thereby reducing the level of systemic inflammation, and ultimately lowering the blood glucose by the IKKβ/NF‐κB‐JNK‐IRS‐1‐AKT signal pathway.