Only arginine vasopressin, not oxytocin and endogenous opiate peptides, in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus play a role in acupuncture analgesia in the rat.
Our previous study proved that hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVH) plays an important role in acupuncture analgesia. The effect of acupuncture on the concentrations of arginine vasopressin (AVP), oxytocin (OXT), leucine-enkephaline (L-Ek), beta-endorphin (beta-Ep) and dynorphinA(1-13) (DynA(1-13)) was investigated in rat PVH. Electrical acupuncture of "Zusanli" points (St. 36) 30 min increased the AVP, not OXT, L-Ek, beta-Ep and DynA(1-13) concentrations in PVH tissue using micropunch and radioimmunoassay, which showed a negative relationship between the pain threshold and AVP concentrations in PVH tissue. Electrical acupuncture could elevate the AVP concentrations in PVH perfuse liquid during acupuncture, and then reduce the AVP concentrations in PVH perfuse liquid after acupuncture. But no change in OXT, L-Ek, beta-Ep and DynA(1-13) concentrations was detected in PVH perfuse liquid. Electrical acupuncture decreased the number of AVP, not OXT, L-Ek, beta-Ep and DynA(1-13) immunoreactive cells in PVH using immunocytochemistry. The results suggested that only AVP, not OXT and endogenous opiate peptides in PVH involved acupuncture analgesia in the rat.
Yang
Jun
J
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China. yj6676@yahoo.com
Liu
Wen-yan
WY
Song
Cao-you
CY
Lin
Bao-cheng
BC
D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004399:Dynorphins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D045604:Extracellular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D010146:Pain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
D018847:Opioid Peptides; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D010121:Oxytocin; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D004399:Dynorphins