title: Acupuncture stimulation at HT7 alleviates depression-induced behavioral changes via regulation of the serotonin system in the prefrontal cortex of maternally-separated rat pups.
abstract: A possible application of acupuncture in alleviating depression-like behavioral changes and regulating serotonin signaling in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of maternally-separated rat pups was investigated in this study. On postnatal day 15, rat pups were maternally-separated and received acupuncture stimulation at acupoint HT7 or ST36 once a day for 7 days. On postnatal day 21, the tail suspension test was performed and the PFC was harvested. Tissue levels of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) were then measured by high-performance liquid chromatography and expression of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were assessed by western blotting. Levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA were not significantly changed, but the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio was significantly increased by maternal separation. The immobility time of maternally-separated rat pups was increased, and increased 5-HTT expression and reduced BDNF level were observed in the PFC. But acupuncture stimulation at HT7 alleviated the behavioral change and regulated the changes of 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio, 5-HTT, and BDNF. In conclusion, acupuncture stimulation at HT7 can relieve maternal separation-induced changes, and we propose that regulation of the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio and of 5-HTT expression by acupuncture stimulation are important acupuncture-induced benefits in this animal model of depression.
authors.affiliation: Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Mulgeum-eup, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do 626-870, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyemee
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Doyoung
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Sunoh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Tae-Won
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Hi-Joon
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Dae-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Hahm
authors.forename: Hyejung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seung-Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008426:Maternal Deprivation; D023421:Models, Animal; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid