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Anti-depression effects of electroacupuncture through up-regulating serum E2 and BDNF and expression of BDNF in hippocampus in chronic depression rats

电针上调慢性抑郁大鼠血清 E2 和 BDNF 及影响海马区 BDNF 表达的抗抑郁效果

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Abstract

Objective

To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints Baihui (GV 20), Neiguan (PC 6) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) on the levels of estradiol (E2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in serum, as well as the expression of BDNF in hippocampus in chronic depression rat models.

Methods

Thirty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups, including a normal control (NC) group, a model group and an EA group, 10 rats in each group. The depression model was established by using chronic unpredicted mild stress (CUMS), such as cold-water swimming, tail clamping, electric shock to foot, etc., combined with individual caging for 21 d. Rats in the model group and EA group were randomly exposed to one of the 9 stressors each day and caged individually. After modeling, rats in the EA group were then treated with EA at Baihui (GV 20), Neiguan (PC 6) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) once daily for 14 d, and the model group was not treated with EA but bounded in the same way as the EA group. Serum E2 was measured by radioimmunoassay and BDNF was assessed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the expression of BDNF in hippocampus was detected by using immunohistochemistry.

Results

After the stress stimulation, compared with the NC group, the model group and EA group showed a significant reduction of sucrose preference rate (P<0.01) and remarkable increase of forced-swimming immobility time (P<0.01). In addition, EA significantly reduced the depression-like behavior of rats in the EA group (P<0.01). The expressions of E2 and BDNF in serum as well as the expression of BDNF in hippocampus were remarkably lower in the model rats than those in the NC group (P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.05). The expression of BDNF in rats’ serum and hippocampus in the EA group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P<0.05), while serum E2 increased but insignificantly (P>0.05).

Conclusion

E2 and BDNF may contribute to the depression-like behaviors of the rats during CUMS period. EA may exert its anti-depression effects through promoting BDNF expression in serum and hippocampus.

摘要

目的

探讨电针百会、内关和三阴交穴对慢性抑郁模型大鼠血清雌二醇(estradiol, E2)和脑源性神经营养因子(brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF)水平及海马区BDNF 表达的影响。

方法

将 30 只雌性Wistar 大鼠随机分为三组, 包括正常对照组, 模型组和电针组, 每组10 只。采用慢性E2D;等程度不可预见性刺激(chronicunpredicted mild stress, CUMS, 如冷水游泳、夹尾、电击足底等)结合孤养21 d 造模。模型组和电针组大鼠每天随机应用9 种不同的刺激结合孤养。造模结束后, 电针组给予电针百会、内关、三阴交治疗, 每天一次, 共14 d;模型组给予同等程度束缚。血清E2 用放免法检测, 血清BDNF 用酶联免疫吸附试验法(enzyme-linkedimmunosorbent assay, ELISA)检测, 海马BDNF 的表达用免疫组化法。

结果

应激结束后, 与正常对照组比较, 模型组和电针组糖水偏爱率显著下降(P<0.01), 强迫游泳不动时间显著增加(P<0.01)。此外, 电针显著减少了大鼠的抑郁样行为(P<0.01)。与正常对照组比较, 模型组血清E2、BDNF 水平及海马区BDNF 的表达显著下降 (P<0.01,P<0.01, P<0.05)。与模型组比较, 电针组血清BDNF 和海马区BDNF 表达显著增加(P<0.05), 血清E2 水平增加但差异无显著性 (P>0.05)。

结论

E2 和BDNF 可能与慢性轻度不可预见性应激大鼠抑郁样行为有关。电针可能通过增加血清和海马BDNF 的表达发挥抗抑郁作用。

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The First Clinical Medical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Dao-zhou Mu  (穆道周)

  2. Basic Medical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Xi Huang  (黄熙)

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  1. Dao-zhou Mu  (穆道周)
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Correspondence to Xi Huang  (黄熙).

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Mu, Dz., Huang, X. Anti-depression effects of electroacupuncture through up-regulating serum E2 and BDNF and expression of BDNF in hippocampus in chronic depression rats. J. Acupunct. Tuina. Sci. 13, 141–145 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11726-015-0838-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11726-015-0838-6

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