title: [Effect of acupotomy lysis on hypothalamic POMC mRNA and PPE mRNA expression in rats with 3rd lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of acupotomy lysis (AL) on hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin (POMO) mRNA and preproenkephalin (PPE) mRNA expression in rats with the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome (TLVTPS) so as to study its underlying mechanism in relieving symptoms of lumbar muscle strain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, AL group and electroacupunture (EA) group. The TLVTPS model was established by inserting a piece of gelatin sponge into the posterior of the left 3rd lumbar vertebrae transverse process. AL and EA were applied to the left "Shenshu"(BL 23) and "Yaoyangguan" (GV 3) respectively. The POMC mRNA and PPE mRNA expression levels in the hypothalamus were detected by in situ hybridization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the normal group, the integrated optical density (IOD) values of hypothalamic POMC mRNA and PPE mRNA positive cells in the model group were increased significantly (P < 0.01); while compared with the model group, those of POMC mRNA and PPE mRNA positive cells in both left and right hypothalamus were increased further considerably in both AL and EA groups (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found between AL and EA groups in POMC mRNA and PPE mRNA expression levels (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AL and EA therapies can increase the expression of POMC mRNA and PPE mRNA in hypothalamus in rats with TLVTPS, which may contribute to its effect in relieving pain in the treatment of lumbar muscle strain.
authors.affiliation: College of Acu-moxibustion and Massage, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China. guochangqing66@163.com
authors.forename: Chang-Qing
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Rong-Juan
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Hong-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Seyed Javad
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mojtabavi
authors.forename: Hui-Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Hai-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Nai-Gang
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-Feng
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Jin-Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Zhan-Lu
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D059408:Pain Management; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D004745:Enkephalins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; C033660:preproenkephalin