Mo Yu-Ping, Yao Hai-Jiang, Lv Wei, Song Liang-Yu, Song Hong-Tao, Yuan Xiao-Chen, Mao Ying-Qiu, Jing Quan-Kai, Shi Su-Hua, Li Zhi-Gang
Department of Rehabilitation, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, No. 29 Bulan Road, Longgang District, Shenzhen 518112, China; School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road East, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China.
School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road East, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100029, China; Treatment Center of TCM, Beijing Bo'ai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Capital Medical University, No. 10 Jiaomen North Road, Fengtai District, Beijing 100068, China.
Neural Plast. 2016;2016:2371875. doi: 10.1155/2016/2371875. Epub 2016 Aug 11.
In an effort to explore new, noninvasive treatment options for spinal cord injuries (SCI), this study investigated the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) for SCI rat models. SCI was induced by a modified Allen's weight-drop method. We investigated the response of EA at Dazhui (GV 14) and Mingmen (GV 4) acupoints to understand the effects and mechanisms of EA in neuroprotection and neuronal function recovery after SCI. BBB testing was used to detect motor function of rats' hind limbs among groups, and EA was shown to promote the recovery of SCI rats' motor function. Nissl staining showed a restored neural morphology and an increase in the quantity of neurons after EA. Also, the antiapoptosis role was exposed by TUNEL staining. Western blotting analysis was used to determine the protein expression of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in spinal cord tissue. Compared to the sham group, the expression levels of NT-3 were significantly decreased and EA was shown to upregulate the expression of NT-3. The present study suggests that the role of EA in neuroprotection and dorsal neuronal function recovery after SCI in rats, especially EA stimulation at GV 14 and GV 4, can greatly promote neuronal function recovery, which may result from upregulating the expression of NT-3.
为了探索脊髓损伤（SCI）新的非侵入性治疗方案，本研究调查了电针对SCI大鼠模型的影响。采用改良的Allen重物坠落法诱导SCI。我们研究了大椎穴（GV 14）和命门穴（GV 4）处电针的反应，以了解电针在SCI后神经保护和神经元功能恢复中的作用及机制。采用BBB测试检测各组大鼠后肢的运动功能，结果显示电针可促进SCI大鼠运动功能的恢复。尼氏染色显示电针后神经形态恢复，神经元数量增加。此外，TUNEL染色显示了电针的抗凋亡作用。采用蛋白质免疫印迹分析来测定脊髓组织中神经营养因子-3（NT-3）的蛋白表达。与假手术组相比，NT-3的表达水平显著降低，而电针可上调NT-3的表达。本研究表明，电针在大鼠SCI后的神经保护和背侧神经元功能恢复中发挥作用，尤其是对GV 14和GV 4的电针刺激，可极大地促进神经元功能恢复，这可能是通过上调NT-3的表达实现的。
