title: [Effect of acupuncture of Ho (ST 36)-plus Mu (CV 12)-acupoints on hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone mRNA and SP mRNA expression in stress-induced gastric ulcer rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of acupuncture of "Zusanli" [ST 36, Ho (Sea)-acupoint] and "Zhongwan" (CV 12, front Mu-acupoint) on the expression of hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) mRNA and SP mRNA in stress-induced gastric ulcer (GU) rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, simple bundling group, GU model group, CV 12 group, ST 36 group and CV 12 + ST 36 (Ho- and front Mu-acupoint combination) group, with 10 cases in each group. GU model was established by binding the rat's four limbs to an animal board and to immerse it to cool water for 24 h. Manual acupuncture stimulation was applied to CV 12, bilateral ST 36 or CV 12 + ST 36 for 20 min, once daily for 2 days. The GU index was evaluated by using Guth's method (1979). GnRH mRNA and SP mRNA expression of the hypothalamus tissue was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the normal group, the GU index values in the simple bundling group and the model group were significantly higher (P < 0.01); while in comparison with the model group, the GU index values were significantly decreased in the CV 12, ST 36 and CV 12 + ST 36 groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Following stress stimulation, hypothalamic GnRH mRNA expression levels in the simple bundling group and the model group were remarkably increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), whereas those of hypothalamic SP mRNA expression had no apparent changes in these two groups (P > 0.05). After manual acupuncture intervention, hypothalamic GnRH mRNA expression levels in the CV 12, ST 36 and CV 12 + ST 36 groups were evidently down-regulated and SP mRNA expression levels in the ST 36 and CV 12+ ST 36 groups were remarkably upregulated in comparison with the model group (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found between the CV 12 and ST 36 groups in the GU index, among the CV 12, ST 36 and CV 12 + ST 36 groups in GnRH mRNA expression, and between the CV 12 and model groups in the expression levels of SP mRNA (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture of CV 12 and ST 36 can relieve stress-induced gastric ulcer in the rat, which is closely with its effect in down-regulating hypothalamic GnRH mRNA expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acumoxibustion, Gansu College of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China. donglili101126@163.com
authors.forename: Li-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: An-Guo
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jun-Yan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chong-Bing
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Tian-Tian
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xing-Ke
authors.initials: XK
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D051703:Sp Transcription Factors; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D013373:Substance P / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051703:Sp Transcription Factors; D013373:Substance P; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone