Enhancement of electroacupuncture-induced analgesic effect in cholecystokinin-A receptor deficient rats.
Previously, we have showed that the cholecystokinin (CCK)-A receptor expression in hypothalamus is closely related with the responsiveness of electroacupuncture (EA)-mediated analgesic effects in rats. In order to confirm this observation more directly in vivo, the EA-mediated analgesic effects are compared between Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, the natural knockout rats with the homozygously disrupted CCK-A receptor gene, with Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats. They were stimulated at the zusanli (ST36) acupoint without using anesthetics or holders. The tail flick latency (TFL) test was performed to quantify analgesic effects and then the mean TFL increase ratios were calculated. OLETF rats showed a mean increase of 53% and LETO rats showed a mean increase of 31% of TFL. Our results suggest that the analgesic effect of acupuncture is closely related with the amount of CCK-A receptor expression.
Lee
Gi-Seog
GS
Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School, Kyunghee University, 1 Hoeki-dong, Dongdaemoon-gu, 130-701 Seoul, South Korea.
Han
Jae-Bok
JB
Shin
Min-Kyu
MK
Hong
Moo-Chang
MC
Kim
Sung-Woon
SW
Min
Byung-Il
BI
Bae
Hyunsu
H
D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D020334:Rats, Inbred OLETF; D011930:Reaction Time; D043886:Receptor, Cholecystokinin A / Q000172:deficiency*
D043886:Receptor, Cholecystokinin A