title: Change of Leu-enkephalin- and B-endorphin-like immunoreactivity in the hippocampus after electroconvulsive shock and electroacupuncture.
abstract: To determine whether the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on electroconvulsive shock (ECS) was through affecting endogenous opioid peptidergic system in the hippocampus, we used radioimmunoassay (RIA) to measure leu-enkephalin- and beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (L-E-LI and Beta-E-LI) in the hippocampal perfusate after ECS and EA treatments. Wistar rats were given ECS stimulation, which caused behavioral and electroencephalogram (EEG) convulsions. However, EA could suppress ECS-elicited convulsions (including both behavioral and EEG abnormalities). The results of RIA showed that after repeated ECS treatments, the contents of L-E-LI and Beta-E-LI increased significantly by 136% and 157%, respectively. In contrast, EA treatment depleted alterations of L-E-LI and Beta-E-LI induced by ECS, depleting L-E-LI by 32% and Beta-E-LI by 85%. These observations suggest that anticonvulsive action of EA is related to the release of L-E and Beta-E in hippocampus, probably through decreasing their release, thus to exert EA action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Shanghai Medical University, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: X P
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: B Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: X D
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine; D001615:beta-Endorphin