Effects of Governor Vessel electroacupuncture on the systematic expressions of NTFs in spinal cord transected rats.
This study evaluated the effects Governor Vessel electroacupuncture (GVEA) on the systematic regulation of neurotrophic factors (NTFs) in the spinal segments caudal (CSS) to the site of transection in rats subjected to spinal cord transection (SCT). Using RT-PCR, we amazingly found the gene expressions of NGF, IGF-1, FGF-2, CNTF, PDGF, TGF-β1, TrkA, TrkB and TrkC were downregulated following GVEA treatment. However, the number of GAP-43 and Synaptophysin profiles in the CSS in the GVEA rats showed a significant increase, compared with non-EA animals, although both the 5-HT and corticospinal fibers have no statistical differences in the CSS. Simultaneously, there was significant recovery in hindlimb locomotor and sensory functions after GVEA treatment. Therefore, these findings challenge the past view that GVEA promotes functional restoration, which is linking to the up-regulation of NTFs in rats subjected to SCT. The present findings may give some novel indication on the mechanism of acupuncture for the treatment of SCI.
Department of Histology, Embryology and Neurobiology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Su-Juan
SJ
Liu
Institute of Neurological Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Su-Su
SS
Zheng
Institute of Neurological Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Qi-Qin
QQ
Dan
Institute of Neurological Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Jia
J
Liu
Department of Histology, Embryology and Neurobiology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Institute of Neurological Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China. Electronic address: tinghua_neuron@263.net.
Ting-Hua
TH
Wang
D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000502:physiology; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*
D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor
GVEA; NTFs; SCT; Sensory and locomotor functions