[Effects of electroacupuncture on behavior, plasma COR and expressions of PKA and PKC in hippocampus of the depression model rat].
OBJECTIVE
To probe into the mechanism of acupuncture for treatment of depression.


METHODS
Thirty-two healthy SD male rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, an electroacupuncture (EA) group and a Maprotiline group. The depression rat model was made in the latter three groups, and from the second day of the experiment EA was given at Baihui (GV 20), "Yintang" (EX-HN 1), "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Fenglong" (ST 40) in the EA group, once every other day; the rats in the Maprotiline group were treated with oral administration of Maprotiline hydrochroride, once each day. After treatment of 3 weeks, changes of behaviors, plasma cortisol (COR) level and expressions of protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) in hippocampus were observed in the rats.


RESULTS
In the depression model rats, the body weight increased slowly, and horizontal and vertical activities and consumption of sugar liquid significantly decreased; plasma cortisol content significantly increased; expressions of PKA and PKC in the hippocampus significantly reduced. In the rats of EA group, the score of behaviors, the consumption of sugar liquid and the increase of body weight were not significantly different to those in the model group, but the plasma cortisol level significantly decreased and closed to the normal level, and positive expressions of PKA and PKC in the hippocampus could be effectively reversed. In the Maprotiline group, the consumption of sugar liquid significantly increased and plasma cortisol level significantly decreased, and expressions of PKA and PKC in the hippocampus increased as compared with those in the model group.


CONCLUSIONS
The depression model rat has dysfunction of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) and EA can regulate functions of HPAA. The mechanism is possibly carried out by regulating functions of relative enzymes in the signal transduction pathway in hippocampal cells.
Lu
Fan
F
Medical College, Xiamen University, Fujian, and Xiamen City Hospital of TCM, China. lufan6738@gmail.com
Zhu
Hong-mei
HM
Xie
Jun-jie
JJ
Zhou
Hai-hong
HH
Chen
Yan-ling
YL
Hu
Ji-yuan
JY
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D006854:Hydrocortisone