title: Effect of electroacupuncture on the mRNA and protein expression of Rho-A and Rho-associated kinase II in spinal cord injury rats.
abstract: Electroacupuncture is beneficial for the recovery of spinal cord injury, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The Rho/Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway regulates the actin cytoskeleton by controlling the adhesive and migratory behaviors of cells that could inhibit neurite regrowth after neural injury and consequently hinder the recovery from spinal cord injury. Therefore, we hypothesized electroacupuncture could affect the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway to promote the recovery of spinal cord injury. In our experiments, the spinal cord injury in adult Sprague-Dawley rats was caused by an impact device. Those rats were subjected to electroacupuncture atYaoyangguan(GV3),Dazhui(GV14),Zusanli(ST36) andCiliao(BL32) and/or monosialoganglioside treatment. Behavioral scores revealed that the hindlimb motor functions improved with those treatments. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, fluorescencein situhybridization and western blot assay showed that electroacupuncture suppressed the mRNA and protein expression of Rho-A and Rho-associated kinase II (ROCKII) of injured spinal cord. Although monosialoganglioside promoted the recovery of hindlimb motor function, monosialoganglioside did not affect the expression of Rho-A and ROCKII. However, electroacupuncture combined with monosialoganglioside did not further improve the motor function or suppress the expression of Rho-A and ROCKII. Our data suggested that the electroacupuncture could specifically inhibit the activation of the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway thus partially contributing to the repair of injured spinal cord. Monosialoganglioside could promote the motor function but did not suppress expression of RhoA and ROCKII. There was no synergistic effect of electroacupuncture combined with monosialoganglioside.
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: You-Jiang
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China; Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Li-Li-Qiang
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Li-Hong
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0786-9510
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Ping
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8664-5437
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Yun
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pei
keywords: Rho/Rho-associated kinase signaling pathway; cytoskeleton; electroacupuncture; hybridization in situ; monosialoganglioside; motor function; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction; spinal cord injury; western blot assay