电针“至阳”（GV9）和“脊中”（GV6）对脊髓损伤大鼠降钙素基因相关肽（CGRP）和NLRP3表达的影响

[Effect of electroacupuncture of "Zhiyang" (GV9) and "Jizhong" (GV6) on expression of CGRP and NLRP3 in rats with spinal cord injury].

作者信息

Guo Mi, Xiang Jian-Qin, Wei Lian-Hai, Cui Yin-Jie

机构信息

Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture-moxibustion, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.

Department of Health Management, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038.

出版信息

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2021 Aug 25;46(8):679-83. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.200731.

DOI:10.13702/j.1000-0607.200731

PMID:34472753

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Zhiyang" (GV9) and "Jizhong" (GV6) of the Governor Vessel on the expression of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP)and NOD-like receptor pyrin containing 3 (NLRP3) in the injured anterior horn (AH) of rats with spinal cord injury (SCI), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of SCI.

METHODS

Thirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation (sham) group, model group and EA group which were further randomly allocated to 7 day (d) and 14 d subgroups (=6 per subgroup). The SCI model was established by clamping the exposed spinal cord with an aneurysm clip. Rats of the EA group received EA of GV6 and GV9 for 30 min, once daily for 7 and 14 days, respectively. The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) was used to assess changes of the locomotor function on the 1, 3, 7 and 14 day after SCI. The protein expression levels of CGRP, NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) and cysteinyl aspartate specific protease-1 (caspase-1) in the anterior horn region of the spinal cord on the 7 and 14 after SCI were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS

The BBB scores on the 1, 3, 7 and 14 d after SCI were significantly lower in the model group than in the sham group (<0.05), whereas the expression levels of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 proteins on day 7 and 14 were markedly higher in the model group than in the sham group (<0.05, <0.01). Compared with the model group, the BBB score and CGRP expression on the 7 and 14 d were significantly increased in the EA group (<0.05,<0.01), while the expression levels of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 were obviously decreased in the EA group (<0.01).

CONCLUSION

EA of GV6 and GV9 can improve the locomotion of SCI rats, which may be associated with its function in up-regulating the expression of CGRP and down-regulating the expression of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 proteins in the spinal anterior horn tissue.

摘要

目的

观察督脉“至阳”（GV9）、“脊中”（GV6）电针对脊髓损伤（SCI）大鼠损伤前角降钙素基因相关肽（CGRP）和含NOD样受体蛋白3（NLRP3）表达的影响，探讨其改善SCI的作用机制。

方法

将36只雄性SD大鼠随机分为假手术组、模型组和电针组，每组再随机分为7天和14天两个亚组（每组6只）。采用动脉瘤夹夹闭暴露的脊髓建立SCI模型。电针组大鼠分别于术后7天和14天接受GV6、GV9电针治疗30分钟，每天1次。采用Basso、Beattie和Bresnahan（BBB）评分法评估SCI后1、3、7和14天运动功能的变化。采用蛋白质免疫印迹法检测SCI后7天和14天脊髓前角区域CGRP、NLRP3、凋亡相关斑点样蛋白（ASC）和半胱天冬酶-1（caspase-1）的蛋白表达水平。

结果

模型组SCI后1、3、7和14天的BBB评分显著低于假手术组（P<0.05），而模型组第7天和14天NLRP3、ASC和caspase-1蛋白表达水平显著高于假手术组（P<0.05，P<0.01）。与模型组比较，电针组第7天和14天的BBB评分和CGRP表达显著升高（P<0.05，P<0.01），而NLRP3、ASC和caspase-1表达水平明显降低（P<0.01）。