title: Auricular electroacupuncture reduced inflammation-related epilepsy accompanied by altered TRPA1, pPKCα, pPKCε, and pERk1/2 signaling pathways in kainic acid-treated rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammation is often considered to play a crucial role in epilepsy by affecting iron status and metabolism. In this study, we investigated the curative effect of auricular acupuncture and somatic acupuncture on kainic acid- (KA-) induced epilepsy in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  We established an epileptic seizure model in rats by KA (12 mg, ip). The 2 Hz electroacupuncture (EA) was applied at auricular and applied at Zusanli and Shangjuxu (ST36-ST37) acupoints for 20 min for 3 days/week for 6 weeks beginning on the day following the KA injection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The electrophysiological results indicated that neuron overexcitation occurred in the KA-treated rats. This phenomenon could be reversed among either the auricular EA or ST36-ST37 EA treatment, but not in the sham-control rats. The Western blot results revealed that TRPA1, but not TRPV4, was upregulated by injecting KA and could be attenuated by administering auricular or ST36-ST37 EA, but not in the sham group. In addition, potentiation of TRPA1 was accompanied by increased PKCα and reduced PKCε. Furthermore, pERK1/2, which is indicated in inflammation, was also increased by KA. Furthermore, the aforementioned mechanisms could be reversed by administering auricular EA and could be partially reversed by ST36-ST37 EA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate a novel mechanism for treating inflammation-associated epilepsy and can be translated into clinical therapy.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan ; Research Center for Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan ; Graduate Institute of Integrative Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 40402, Taiwan ; Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Liang
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8187-4716
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D007249:Inflammation; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D051744:Protein Kinase C-epsilon / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D000074025:TRPA1 Cation Channel; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000074025:TRPA1 Cation Channel; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels; C480976:Trpa1 protein, rat; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha; D051744:Protein Kinase C-epsilon; D007608:Kainic Acid