MIN Youjiang, CHENG Lihong, YAO Haihua, YANG Liu,MIN Zhiyun, PEI Jia

(Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China)

Abstract: Objective:  To investigate the effect of Santong electroacupuncture (EA) on mRNA and protein expression of p75 neurotrophinreceptor (p75NTR) in rats with spinal cord injury (SCI).   Methods: A total of 72 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to  sham operation group (group A, n=8) and model group (n=64). In the model group, Allen's method was used to make SCI rats model, in  which 48 survived model rats were further subdivided into model control group (group B, n=12), EA group (group C, n=12), inhibitor Nogo  extra cellular peptide residues  1-40 (NEP1-40) group (group D, n=12) and EA+inhibitor NEP1-40  group  (group  E,  n=12)  according  to  design  proposal.  The  treatment  groups  were electroacupunctured on Dazhui (GV14) and Yaoyangguan (GV3), bilateral Ciliao (BL32) and Zusanli(ST36) with loose-tight wave, for 20 minutes every day. After 7 and 14 days of treatment, injured spinal cord tissue was  extracted  for  detecting.  The  mRNA  and  protein  expression  of  p75NTR  was  detected  by  real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, in situ hybridization and  Western blotting respectively. The hind limb motor function was assessed with Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) score. Results:The BBB  score increased in the treatment groups compared with group B, and was higher in group E than in groups C and D (P<0.05), as well as on  the 14th day than on the 7th day in all the treatment groups (t>2.623, P<0.05). The mRNA and protein  expression  of  p75NTR  in  spinal  cord  tissues  decreased  in  the  treatment  groups  compared  with group  B  (P<0.05),  and  no  significant  difference  was  found  among  the  treatment  groups  (P>0.05). Conclusion: Santong elerctroacupuncture treatment could improve the hind limb motor function, which may associate with inhibition of the mRNA and protein expression of p75NTR in rats after SCI.

Key words:spinal cord injury , electroacupuncture,neural regeneration, p75 neurotrophin receptor , rats