Effects of electro-acupuncture on NT-4 expression in spinal dorsal root ganglion and associated segments of the spinal dorsal horn in cats subjected to adjacent dorsal root ganglionectomy.
It is well known that neuroplasticity occurs in the central nervous system in response to injury. Electro-acupuncture (EA) may also promote neuroplasticity. But little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms for the beneficial effects of EA. This study investigated the effects of EA on neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) expression in L(6) spinal dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and associated segments of the spinal dorsal horn in cats subjected to unilateral removal of L(1)-L(5) and L(7)-S(2) DRG. NT-4 protein was normally present in the cytoplasm of the L(6) DRG neurons and L(3) and L(6) spinal dorsal horn neurons and glia. Adjacent ganglionectomy leads to a significant decrease in NT-4 expression in the L(6) DRG, but no change in the spinal dorsal horn. Following EA treatment a significant increase occurred in the L(6) DRG at 14 days post-operation (dpo) as well as the L(6) cord segment at 7 and 14 dpo. These findings pointed to a possible association between NT-4 expression and EA promoted spinal cord plasticity in adult cats subjected to partial ganglionectomy.
Liu
Fen
F
Institute of Neuroscience, Kunming Medical College, Ren Ming Western Road 191, Kunming, Yunnan 650031, China.
Sun
Wei-Wei
WW
Wang
Ying
Y
Hu
Li-Qun
LQ
Dai
Ping
P
Tian
Chang-Fu
CF
Wang
Ting-Hua
TH
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000378:metabolism*; D015171:Ganglionectomy / Q000379:methods; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism
D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C073922:neurotrophin 4