title: [Effect of electroacupuncture on pain threshold and spinal NR2B subunit expression in a rat model of neuropathic pain].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on pain threshold and spinal NR2B subunit expression in a rat model of neuropathic pain due to chronic compression injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve and explore the analgesic mechanism of EA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male SD rats weighing 200-280 g were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=10), namely the sham-operated group, CCI group, EA+CCI group, and sham EA+CCI group. All the rats underwent tests of the mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal threshold. On day 13 after the surgery, all the rats were decapitated to collect the L4-6 segments of the spinal cord to examine NR2B expression using Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The postoperative mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal threshold were significantly lowered in CCI, EA+CCI and sham EA+CCI groups as compared to those before the surgery (P<0.05). EA obviously alleviated the hypersensitivity in the rats with CCI and inhibited spinal NR2B expressions (P<0.05). No significant differences were found in the mechanical withdrawal threshold, thermal threshold or spinal NR2B subunit expression between CCI group and sham EA+CCI group (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA may alleviate neuropathic hypersensitivity partially by inhibiting NR2B expression in the spinal cord of rats with neuropathic pain resulting from CCI of the sciatic nerve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangzhou, China. tiramisu.yy@163.com
authors.forename: Guo-bin
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Wei-tao
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ai-lin
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Jin-quan
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Ji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D008297:Male; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017288:Pain Threshold; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C121001:NR2B NMDA receptor; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate