Effects of electroacupuncture on c-Fos expression in the spinal cord and brain of rats with chronic visceral hypersensitivity

作     者：Xiaomei Wang Huirong Liu Guanghong Ding Yunfei Chen Huangan Wu Na Li Enhua Zhou Xiudi Qin Lingsong Yuan 

作者机构：Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science Fudan University Shanghai 200433 China Key Laboratory of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Immunological Effects Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai 201203 China 

出 版 物：《Neural Regeneration Research》 (中国神经再生研究（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2009年第4卷第5期

页      面：339-343页

核心收录：

学科分类：1005[医学-中医学] 1002[医学-临床医学] 100201[医学-内科学(含：心血管病、血液病、呼吸系病、消化系病、内分泌与代谢病、肾病、风湿病、传染病)] 100512[医学-针灸推拿学] 10[医学] 

基　　金：the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program),No. 2009CB522900 the Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project,No. S30304 B112 a grant of the Key Laboratory of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Immunological Effects, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China 

主　　题：electroacupuncture chronic visceral hypersensitivity irritable bowel syndrome brain-gut axis c-Fos 

摘      要：BACKGROUND： Visceral hypersensitivity is the main cause of irritable bowel syndrome, c-Fos is a marker of visceral hypersensitivity in the central nervous system. Electroacupuncture can relieve chronic visceral hypersensitivity in rats, but the mechanism is still unknown. OBJECTIVE： To identify c-Fos expression in the spinal cord and cerebral cortex of rats with chronic visceral hypersensitivity, and to test the effects of electroacupuncture on pain sensitivity in rats with chronic visceral hypersensitivity. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized controlled animal experiment was performed at the Animal E：~perimental Center, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, from January to April, 2007. MATERIALS： A total of 24 neonatal, male, Sprague Dawley rats, aged five days old, were equally and randomly assigned into a normal group, a model group, and an electroacupuncture group. Rabbit anti-rat c-Fos antibody and Evision secondary antibody kits （Sigma, USA）, diaminobenzidine kit （Dako, Denmark）, and an LD202H electroacupuncture apparatus （Huawei, Beijing, China） were used in this study. METHODS： Neonatal rats from the model and electroacupuncture groups were used to establish rat models of chronic visceral hypersensitivity by the saccule stimulation method. After model establishment, 0.25 mm diameter electric needles were inserted into Tianshu （ST 25） and Shangjuxu （ST37） at a depth of approximately 0.5 cm, with an square wave （alternating current frequency at 100/20 Hz, amplitude ranged 0.2-0.6 ms, intensity at 1 mA） once for 20 minutes, once a day, for seven days. Rats in the normal and model groups were not treated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Following 7 days of treatment, c-Fos expression in the spinal cord and cerebral cortex was detected by immunohistochemistry. After the first electroacupuncture treatment, abdominal withdrawal reflex scores were investigated to evaluate the pain threshold for chronic visceral hypersensitivity in rats. RESULTS： Visceral hy