Electroacupuncture-induced Changes in Motor Protein Pathways in Postpartum Stress Urinary Incontinence.

Abstract

Postpartum stress urinary incontinence (SUI) significantly impacts women's quality of life, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms of effective treatments remain elusive. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects and molecular pathways of electroacupuncture (EA) in a rat model of SUI. We established the SUI model using vaginal balloon dilation (VBD) and randomized subjects into model and EA-treated groups. Functional recovery was assessed by urodynamic testing, which showed that EA significantly increased leak point pressure (LPP) and maximum bladder capacity (MBC). Histopathological analysis using hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining revealed improved muscle architecture and a 42.3% reduction in collagen deposition, along with suppressed inflammatory responses. Quantitative proteomics identified 2,907 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), with the STRING database highlighting motor protein pathways as central targets. Specifically, EA selectively downregulated core proteins, including MYL1, TNNI2, MYLPF, TNNT3, and TNNT1. These findings, validated by western blot and qPCR, suggest that EA alleviates SUI by modulating muscle contractility and remodeling the pelvic floor, providing insight into potential mechanisms underlying targeted SUI therapy.