title: Acupuncture regulates the unfolded protein response and inhibits apoptosis in a rat model of heroin relapse.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the unfolded protein response (UPR) in the hippocampus of rats undergoing heroin relapse and the mechanisms underlying the acupuncture-mediated inhibition of brain damage caused by heroin relapse.
  
  
  METHODS
  60 Sprague-Dawley rats (30 females and 30 males) were randomly divided into four groups: Control group, Heroin group, Heroin+acupuncture group, and Heroin+methadone group (n=15 each). In the latter three groups, a model of heroin addiction was established by successive increments of intramuscular heroin injections for 8 days, according to the exposure (addiction)→detoxification method. A UPR RT2Profiler PCR array was used to screen for differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus. Apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) staining. The protein expression levels of the following three differentially expressed genes were detected by Western blot to validate the results of the PCR array: heat shock protein (HSP)70, HSP105, and valosin-containing protein (Vcp).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The UPR RT2Profiler PCR Array detection results indicated that acupuncture increased the expression levels of the molecular chaperones HSP70, HSP105, and Vcp. The degree of neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus of rats in the Heroin+acupuncture and Heroin+methadone groups was significantly reduced compared with the untreated Heroin group (p<0.01). Protein expression of HSP70, HSP105, and Vcp in the Heroin+acupuncture and Heroin+methadone groups was significantly higher than the Heroin group (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positive effects of acupuncture on brain damage caused by heroin may be closely related to up-regulation of HSP70, HSP105, and Vcp, and reduced apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Clincal College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Orthopedic, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Clincal College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Orthopedic, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Clincal College of Chinese and western medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Rong-Jun
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Clincal College of Chinese and western medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ge
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine Constructed by Anhui Province and Chinese Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Sheng-Bing
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Clincal College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Orthopedic, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Jiang-Peng
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D050957:HSP110 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D058767:Protein Unfolding; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012008:Recurrence; D000074405:Valosin Containing Protein
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D050957:HSP110 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; C542230:Hsph1 protein, rat; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D000074405:Valosin Containing Protein; C000614180:Vcp protein, rat
keywords: ACUPUNCTURE; BASIC SCIENCES