title: Electroacupuncture alleviates retrieval of pain memory and its effect on phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein in anterior cingulate cortex in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent evidence suggests that persistent pain and recurrent pain are due to the pain memory which is related to the phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Eletroacupuncture (EA), as a complementary Chinese medical procedure, has a significant impact on the treatment of pain and is now considered as a mind-body therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rat model of pain memory was induced by two injections of carrageenan into the paws, which was administered separately by a 14-day interval, and treated with EA therapy. The paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) of animals were measured and p-CREB expressions in ACC were detected by using immunofluorescence (IF) and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Statistical comparisons among different groups were made by one-way, repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The second injection of carrageenan caused the decrease of PWTs in the non-injected hind paw. EA stimulation applied prior to the second injection, increased the values of PWTs. In ACC, the numbers of p-CREB positive cells were significantly increased in pain memory model rats, which were significantly reduced by EA. EMSA results showed EA also down-regulated the combining capacity of p-CREB with its DNA. Furthermore, the co-expression of p-CREB with GFAP, OX-42, or NeuN in ACC was strengthened in the pain memory model rats. EA inhibited the co-expression of p-CREB with GFAP or OX-42, but not NeuN in ACC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest the retrieval of pain memory could be alleviated by the pre-treatment of EA, which is at least partially attributed to the down-regulated expression and combining capacity of p-CREB and the decreased expression of p-CREB in astrocytes and microglia cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China. sunjing0268@163.com.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China. 13185097375@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiao-mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China. piaoyaopiao@sina.cn.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China. 418582081@qq.com.
authors.forename: Zui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China. runnaway@126.com.
authors.forename: Yuan-yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China. fangjianqiao7532@163.com.
authors.forename: Jian-qiao
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D039481:CD11b Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D002351:Carrageenan; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000378:metabolism*; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D039481:CD11b Antigen; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C546339:Rbfox3 protein, rat; D002351:Carrageenan