title: Anti-apoptotic signal transduction mechanism of electroacupuncture in acute spinal cord injury.
abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) can be caused by a variety of pathogenic factors. In China, acupuncture is widely used to treat SCI. We previously found that acupuncture can reduce apoptosis and promote repair after SCI. However, the antiapoptotic mechanisms by which acupuncture exerts its effects on SCI remain unclear. Our aim was to investigate the role of the PI3K/Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK)1/2 signalling pathways in acupuncture treatment of acute SCI. Eighty pure-bred New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into the following five groups (n=16 per group): control; model; elongated needle electroacupuncture (EA); EA+LY294002; and EA+PD98059. We established a spinal cord contusion model of SCI in all experimental groups except controls, in which only a laminectomy was performed. After SCI, three of the groups received EA once daily for 3 days. One hour before SCI, the two drug groups received LY294002 (Akt inhibitor; 10 μg, 20 μL) or PD98059 (ERK inhibitor; 3 μg, 20 μL) via intrathecal injection. At 48 h after SCI, animals were killed and spinal cord tissue samples were collected for transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assays, immunohistochemistry and western blot assays. EA significantly increased p-Akt and p-ERK1/2 expression, reduced cytochrome c and caspase-3 expression and inhibited neuronal apoptosis in the injured spinal cord segment. The opposite effects were seen after using Akt and ERK inhibitors. Acupuncture promotes the repair of SCI, possibly by activation of the PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 signalling pathways and by inhibition of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Xiaoshan Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital, Hangzhou, ZheJiang, China.
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Renfu
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Xiaoshan Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital, Hangzhou, ZheJiang, China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rongliang
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Xiaoshan Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital, Hangzhou, ZheJiang, China.
authors.forename: Du
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mengxuan
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, ZheJiang, China.
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Xiaoshan Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital, Hangzhou, ZheJiang, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jinwei
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujiang, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zongbao
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, ZheJiang, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Disheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002867:Chromones / Q000494:pharmacology; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008297:Male; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D002867:Chromones; D005419:Flavonoids; D009025:Morpholines; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; D045304:Cytochromes c; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D053148:Caspase 3; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one
keywords: ACUPUNCTURE