Effect of Electroacupuncture Intervention on Expression of CGRP, SP, COX-1, and PGE2 of Dorsal Portion of the Cervical Spinal Cord in Rats with Neck-Incision Pain. (2nd September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Qiao, Li-na; Wang, Jun-ying; Yang, Yong-sheng; Chen, Shu-ping; Gao, Yong-hui; Zhang, Jian-liang; Liu, Jun-ling
• Other Names: Yang Yong-Qing Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. Volume 2013(2013)
• Publication Date: 2013-09-02
• Subjects: Alternative medicine -- Periodicals; 615.505
• DOI: 10.1155/2013/294091
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-427X

Abstract

Abstract : The present study was aimed to determine if cervicospinal substance P (SP) and its neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were involved in electroacupuncture (EA) analgesia in neck-incision pain rats. EA intervention was applied to bilateral Futu (LI18), Hegu (LI4)-Neiguan (PC6), and Zusanli (ST36)-Yanglingquan (GB34) for 30 min. Cervicospinal SP and CGRP immunoactivity was detected by immunofluorescence technique, NK-1R and COX-1 protein and mRNA expression levels were determined using Western blot and real-time PCR, respectively, and PGE2 content was measured using ELISA. Outcomes indicated that EA of EA-LI18 and LI4-PC6 (not ST36-GB34) significantly suppressed neck-incision induced decrease of thermal pain threshold (P < 0.05 ). EA stimulation of LI18 and LI4-PC6 markedly inhibited neck-incision induced upregulation of SP and CGRP immunoactivity, NK-1 R and COX-1 mRNA and protein expression levels, as well as the increase of PGE2 content in the dorsal cervicospinal cord (P < 0.05 ). These findings showed that LI18 and LI4-PC6 EA stimulation-induced downregulation of SP, CGRP, NK-1R, COX-1, and PGE2 levels in the dorsal cervicospinal cord may contribute to their effects in relieving neck-incision pain. This study highlights the targets of EA intervention for reducing post-thyroid-surgery pain for the first time.