title: Cannabinoid CB2 receptors contribute to upregulation of β-endorphin in inflamed skin tissues by electroacupuncture.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electroacupuncture (EA) can produce analgesia by increasing the β-endorphin level and activation of peripheral μ-opioid receptors in inflamed tissues. Endogenous cannabinoids and peripheral cannabinoid CB2 receptors (CB2Rs) are also involved in the antinociceptive effect of EA on inflammatory pain. However, little is known about how peripheral CB2Rs interact with the endogenous opioid system at the inflammatory site and how this interaction contributes to the antinociceptive effect of EA on inflammatory pain. In this study, we determined the role of peripheral CB2Rs in the effects of EA on the expression of β-endorphin in inflamed skin tissues and inflammatory pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Inflammatory pain was induced by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant into the left hindpaw of rats. Thermal hyperalgesia was tested with a radiant heat stimulus, and mechanical allodynia was quantified using von Frey filaments. The mRNA level of POMC and protein level of β-endorphin were quantified by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The β-endorphin-containing keratinocytes and immune cells in the inflamed skin tissues were detected by double-immunofluorescence labeling. The CB2R agonist AM1241 or EA significantly reduced thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia, whereas the selective μ-opioid receptor antagonist β-funaltrexamine significantly attenuated the antinociceptive effect produced by them. AM1241 or EA significantly increased the mRNA level of POMC and the protein level of β-endorphin in inflamed skin tissues, and these effects were significantly attenuated by pretreatment with the CB2R antagonist AM630. AM1241 or EA also significantly increased the percentage of β-endorphin-immunoreactive keratinocytes, macrophages, and T-lymphocytes in inflamed skin tissues, and these effects were blocked by AM630.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA and CB2R stimulation reduce inflammatory pain through activation of μ-opioid receptors. EA increases endogenous opioid expression in keratinocytes and infiltrating immune cells at the inflammatory site through CB2R activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, PR China.
authors.forename: Tang-feng
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Ling-hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Cai-hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Hui-lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Man
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D043885:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin