title: Spinal Glutamate Transporters Are Involved in the Development of Electroacupuncture Tolerance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electroacupuncture (EA) tolerance is a gradual decline in EA antinociception because of its repeated or prolonged use. This study aims to explore the role of spinal glutamate transporters (GTs) in EA tolerance (EAT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were treated with EA once per day for eight consecutive days, and their L4-5 spinal cords were collected at days 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8. The levels of three spinal GTs and their mRNAs were detected with Western blot and pPCR, respectively. Then, riluzole, a positive GT regulator, was administered intrathecally in order to observe its effect on EA analgesia after repeated EA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression levels of the spinal GTs increased at days 2 and 4, and gradually decreased as the times of EA increased. At day 8, no difference was observed in the spinal GTs between the sham treatment and the EA treatment. Intrathecal administration of riluzole dose-dependently attenuated the decreased EA analgesia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicated the participation of the spinal GTs in EAT.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China. dwyxcly@126.com.
authors.forename: Luying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China. yidi@webmail.hzau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China. strawberry25@126.com.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China. fy1824914618@163.com.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China. limeng_0526@163.com.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China. dmx@mail.hzau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Mingxing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D027322:Amino Acid Transport System X-AG / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D008297:Male; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D019782:Riluzole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D027322:Amino Acid Transport System X-AG; D019782:Riluzole
keywords: EAAC1; GLAST; GLT-1; electroacupuncture tolerance; rat; riluzole; tail flick latency