Zhang Yan, Ma Shu-lan, Chen Bo-ying, Tian Zhan-zhuang
Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2010 Jun;35(3):163-9.
To observe the effects of electroacupunture (EA) on the abnormal hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the expression of hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) peptides family and CRF receptor (R)1 mRNA in traumatized rats, so as to study its underlying mechanism in improving traumatic injury.
Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control group (n=10), normal+ EA group (n=10), surgical trauma (model) group (n=10), and model+ EA group (n=10). Traumatic injury model was established by performing an exploratory laparotomy in the rats under anesthesia. EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1-2 mA) was administered for 30 min via two stainless steel needles inserted in "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6). Serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) , corticosterone (Cort), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) contents were detected by double-antibody radioimmnoassay. Hypothalamic CRF and ORF R1 mRNA expression was assayed by reversed transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique.
The serum ACTH concentration decreased significantly in model group (P < 0.05) compared with those in normal control and normal+ EA groups, and was significantly higher in model+ EA group than that in model group (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between normal control and normal+ EA groups in serum ACTH levels (P > 0.05). The serum Cort level increased significantly in model group (P < 0.05) compared with those in normal control and normal + EA groups, and was obviously lower in model+EA group than that in model group (P < 0.05). While serum LH and T contents had no apparent changes in the four groups (P > 0.05). The expression of hypothalamic CRF mRNA decreased significantly in model group (P < 0.05) compared with that in normal control group, but increased significantly in model + EA group (P < 0.05) compared with that in model group. However, no significant difference was found between normal control and normal + EA groups in the CRF mRNA expression level. The expression of hypothalamic Ucn 1 mRNA increased significantly in model group than that in normal control group (P < 0.05), and decreased considerably in model+ EA group than that in model group (P < 0.05). There were no significant changes in the expression of hyp, thalamic Ucn 2 mRNA, Ucn 3 mRNA and CRF R1 mRNA in the four groups (P > 0.05).
EA of "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP 6) can improve surgical trauma-induced HPA disorders, which is probably related to its effects in upregulating CRF mRNA expression and downregulating Ucn 1 mRNA expression in the hypothalamus.
观察电针（EA）对创伤大鼠下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴异常及下丘脑促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子（CRF）肽家族和CRF受体（R）1 mRNA表达的影响，以探讨其改善创伤性损伤的潜在机制。
40只雄性Sprague-Dawley大鼠随机分为正常对照组（n = 10）、正常+电针组（n = 10）、手术创伤（模型）组（n = 10）和模型+电针组（n = 10）。在麻醉下对大鼠进行剖腹探查建立创伤性损伤模型。通过插入“足三里”（ST 36）和“三阴交”（SP 6）的两根不锈钢针给予电针（2 Hz/15 Hz，1 - 2 mA）30分钟。采用双抗体放射免疫分析法检测血清促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH）、皮质酮（Cort）、黄体生成素（LH）和睾酮（T）含量。采用逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）技术检测下丘脑CRF和ORF R1 mRNA表达。
与正常对照组和正常+电针组相比，模型组血清ACTH浓度显著降低（P < 0.05），模型+电针组血清ACTH浓度显著高于模型组（P < 0.05）。正常对照组和正常+电针组血清ACTH水平无显著差异（P > 0.05）。与正常对照组和正常+电针组相比，模型组血清Cort水平显著升高（P < 0.05），模型+电针组血清Cort水平明显低于模型组（P < 0.05）。而四组血清LH和T含量无明显变化（P > 0.05）。与正常对照组相比，模型组下丘脑CRF mRNA表达显著降低（P < 0.05），与模型组相比，模型+电针组下丘脑CRF mRNA表达显著升高（P < 0.05）。然而，正常对照组和正常+电针组CRF mRNA表达水平无显著差异。与正常对照组相比，模型组下丘脑Ucn 1 mRNA表达显著升高（P < 0.05），与模型组相比，模型+电针组下丘脑Ucn 1 mRNA表达显著降低（P < 0.05）。四组下丘脑Ucn 2 mRNA、Ucn 3 mRNA和CRF R！mRNA表达无显著变化（P > 0.05）。
“足三里”（ST 36）和“三阴交”（SP 6）电针可改善手术创伤诱导的HPA紊乱，这可能与其上调下丘脑CRF mRNA表达和下调Ucn 1 mRNA表达的作用有关。
