Bee venom acupoint stimulation increases Fos expression in catecholaminergic neurons in the rat brain.
Fos immunocytochemistry was combined with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) or dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) immunolabeling to examine brainstem catecholaminergic neuronal activation resulting from bee venom (BV) stimulation of the Zusanli acupoint (ST36) in Sprague-Dawley rats. BV injection into the Zusanli acupoint caused increased Fos expression in catecholaminergic neurons located in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (Arc), the dorsal raphe (DR), the A5 cell group (A5) and the locus coeruleus (LC). BV acupoint stimulation significantly increased Fos-TH double-labeled neurons in the Arc, LC and DR. Fos-DBH positive neurons were also increased by BV acupoint stimulation in the LC and A5. In contrast BV stimulation of a non-acupoint only increased Fos expression and Fos-TH double-labeled neurons in the Arc. These data indicate that BV acupoint stimulation activates brainstem catecholaminergic neurons and that this activation underlies BV acupoint-induced antinociception.
Kwon
Young Bae
YB
Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
Han
Ho Jae
HJ
Beitz
Alvin J
AJ
Lee
Jang Hern
JH
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000700:Analgesics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001514:Bee Venoms / Q000378:metabolism*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D000700:Analgesics; D001514:Bee Venoms; D002395:Catecholamines; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase