title: [Effect of "Xiusanzhen" on hippocampal muscarinic cholinergic receptor activity in Alzheimer disease rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of "Xiusanzhen" [electroacupuncture (EA) of bilateral "Yingxiang" (LI 20) and "Yintang" (EX-HN 3)] on activities of hippocampal muscarinic cholinergic receptor (mAChR) and the involved neural path in Alzheimer Disease(AD)rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control, model, olfactory nerve severing (ONS)-EA of "Xiusanzhen" (ONS-EA) and EA of "Xiusanzhen" (EA) groups. AD model was established by intra-hippocampal injection (AP: 3.5 mm, L:2 mm, H: -2.8 mm) of Abeta(1-40) starch-like peptide (10 microg/2 microL) under the aid of a microsyringe installed in a brain stereotaxis instrument. For rats of the ONS-EA group, the olfactory nerve was severed by using a surgical knife after drilling a hole on the skull (5 mm anterior to the bregma, L, R: 2 mm). The mAChR density, and its maximum binding capacity (Bmax) and dissociation constant (Kd) of the hippocampus tissue were measured by using radio-ligand binding analysis and Lowry's microamount protein assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the normal control group, the hippocampal mAChR density and its Bmax in the model group were decreased remarkably (P < 0.05), while the Kd of M-receptor in the model group was increased remarkably (P < 0.05). In comparison with the model group, hippocampal mAChR density and its Bmax in the EA group were up-regulated obviously (P < 0.05), while the Kd of mAChR in the EA group was down-regulated significantly (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the model and ONS-EA groups in mAChR density and its Bmax and Kd (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  "Xiusanzhen"-EA can effectively up-regulate hippocampal mAChR density and Bmax and down-regulate Kd of M-receptor of hippocampus in AD rats, which is dependent on the intact olfactory nerve pathway.
authors: Department of Medical Technology, Shaanxi College of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China. yxh1.o@163.com
authors: Xiao-hang
authors: XH
authors: Yang
authors: Zhi-bin
authors: ZB
authors: Liu
authors: Wen-min
authors: WM
authors: Niu
authors: Xiao-mei
authors: XM
authors: Niu
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D015870:Gene Expression; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic