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Low-Frequency Electroacupuncture Alleviates Chronic Constrictive Injury-Induced Mechanical Allodynia by Inhibiting NR2B Upregulation in Ipsilateral Spinal Dorsal Horn in Rats

  • Acupuncture Research
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Abstract

Objective

To study the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) in chronic constrictive injury (CCI) rat model and the expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor type 2B (NR2B) in ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn in rats to explore the analgesic mechanisms of EA.

Methods

According to the random number table, totally 180 rats were evenly divided into a sham group, a CCI group, and an EA group. CCI model was conducted with four 4–0 chromic gut ligatures loosely ligated around the left sciatic nerve 1 cm above the trifurcation. Rats in the EA group received 2 Hz EA therapy bilaterally at acupoints of Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) once daily (30 min/d) for 30 days after surgery. Paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) were measured on 0 (baseline), 1, 3, 7, 15, 30 days after surgery. Rats were sacrificed on 0, 1, 3, 7, 15 and 30 days after surgery, and the L4–5 segments of spinal cord were removed to detect the expression of NR2B by immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results

PWTs in the CCI group were significantly lower than the sham group at Day 1–30 after surgery, and reached its lowest at Day 1 (P<0.01). After EA treatment, the PWTs recovered rapidly and were significantly higher than those in the CCI group on 3, 7, 15 and 30 days after surgery (P<0.01). The numbers of NR2B-immunoreactive cells of the CCI group significantly increased after CCI surgery compared with the sham group (P<0.01). Compared with the CCI group, stimulation of EA markedly decreased the numbers of NR2B-immunoreactive cells at Day 3, 7, 15 and 30 (P<0.05). In the sham group, NR2B mRNA was expressed at a low level. It increased after CCI surgery, which increased rapidly at Day 7 (P<0.01) and reached its peak value at Day 15 (P<0.01). After EA stimulation, relative quantity of NR2B mRNA expression was less than that in the CCI group at Day 15 and 30 (P<0.05).

Conclusions

Low frequency of EA had antinociceptive effect in CCI rat model. The analgesic effects of EA might be through the inhibition of NR2B.

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Acknowledgements

All authors thank LOU Ji-yu (Zhejiang University, China), FANG Jian-qiao, FANG Fang and FANG Jun-fan (The 3rd Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China) for technical assistance. The authors thank Dr. FAN Zhang for English proofreading.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pain Medicine, Hangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Hangzhou, 310003, China

    Wen-sheng Zhao

  2. Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China

    Zhen-ni Jiang

  3. Department of Acupuncture, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China

    Hui Shi

  4. The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China

    Lu-lu Xu & Yue Yang

  5. Department of Clinical Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China

    Ying-chao Wang

Authors
  1. Wen-sheng Zhao
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  2. Zhen-ni Jiang
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  3. Hui Shi
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  4. Lu-lu Xu
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  5. Yue Yang
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  6. Ying-chao Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhen-ni Jiang.

Additional information

Supported by the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. LY14H270007)

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Zhao, Ws., Jiang, Zn., Shi, H. et al. Low-Frequency Electroacupuncture Alleviates Chronic Constrictive Injury-Induced Mechanical Allodynia by Inhibiting NR2B Upregulation in Ipsilateral Spinal Dorsal Horn in Rats. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 25, 462–467 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-018-3057-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-018-3057-4

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