Abstract
Abstract Aims Postoperative pain is a major problem. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been accepted as a useful and low-risk complementary therapy for post-operative pain. Animal studies indicate that surgical incision activates p38 MAPK in the spinal microglia, which critically contributes to post-incisional nociceptive development. How EA affects incision-induced p38 activation is important but yet to be fully elucidated. Methods Male adult rats received plantar incision (PI) at the right hind paw followed by 30-min EA of 4-Hz, one of two intensities (3 and 10 mA), and at right ST36 (Zusanli) acupoint immediately after PI and for 3 successive days. EA analgesia was evaluated by von Frey fibers and Hargreaves' tests. Spinal p38 activation was examined by immunostaining. In separate groups, SB203580, a p38 inhibitor, was intrathecally injected alone or with EA to test the combining effect on nociception and spinal phospho-p38. Key findings EA of 10-mA significantly ameliorated mechanical allodynia, but 3-mA did not. None of them altered thermal hyperalgesia. Repeated EA could not inhibit phospho-p38 in the PI rats, contrarily, EA per se significantly induced phospho-p38 in the normal rats. Intrathecal SB203580 injection dose-dependently prevented PI-induced allodynia. Combination of low-dose SB203580 and 3-mA EA, which were ineffective individually, profoundly reduce post-PI allodynia. Significance We demonstrated that 10-mA EA exerts a significant inhibition against post-PI mechanical hypersensitivity via a p38-independent pathway. Importantly, co-treatment with low-dose p38 inhibitor and 3-mA EA can counteract spinal phospho-p38 to exert strong analgesic effect. Our finding suggests a novel strategy to improve EA analgesic quality.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 14297 |
| Pages (from-to) | 15-23 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Life Sciences |
| Volume | 128 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 1 2015 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Electroacupuncture (EA)
- p38 MAPK
- Postoperative pain
- Spinal cord
- Zusanli (ST36)
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics(all)
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Spinal p38 activity and analgesic effect after low- and high-intensity electroacupuncture stimulation in a plantar incision rat model. / Hsu, Sheng Feng; Zeng, Yen Jing; Tsai, Shih Ying; Chen, Kuen Bao; Chen, Julia Yi Ru; Chang, Ju Hsin; Wen, Yeong Ray.
In: Life Sciences, Vol. 128, 14297, 01.05.2015, p. 15-23.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Spinal p38 activity and analgesic effect after low- and high-intensity electroacupuncture stimulation in a plantar incision rat model
AU - Hsu, Sheng Feng
AU - Zeng, Yen Jing
AU - Tsai, Shih Ying
AU - Chen, Kuen Bao
AU - Chen, Julia Yi Ru
AU - Chang, Ju Hsin
AU - Wen, Yeong Ray
PY - 2015/5/1
Y1 - 2015/5/1
N2 - Abstract Aims Postoperative pain is a major problem. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been accepted as a useful and low-risk complementary therapy for post-operative pain. Animal studies indicate that surgical incision activates p38 MAPK in the spinal microglia, which critically contributes to post-incisional nociceptive development. How EA affects incision-induced p38 activation is important but yet to be fully elucidated. Methods Male adult rats received plantar incision (PI) at the right hind paw followed by 30-min EA of 4-Hz, one of two intensities (3 and 10 mA), and at right ST36 (Zusanli) acupoint immediately after PI and for 3 successive days. EA analgesia was evaluated by von Frey fibers and Hargreaves' tests. Spinal p38 activation was examined by immunostaining. In separate groups, SB203580, a p38 inhibitor, was intrathecally injected alone or with EA to test the combining effect on nociception and spinal phospho-p38. Key findings EA of 10-mA significantly ameliorated mechanical allodynia, but 3-mA did not. None of them altered thermal hyperalgesia. Repeated EA could not inhibit phospho-p38 in the PI rats, contrarily, EA per se significantly induced phospho-p38 in the normal rats. Intrathecal SB203580 injection dose-dependently prevented PI-induced allodynia. Combination of low-dose SB203580 and 3-mA EA, which were ineffective individually, profoundly reduce post-PI allodynia. Significance We demonstrated that 10-mA EA exerts a significant inhibition against post-PI mechanical hypersensitivity via a p38-independent pathway. Importantly, co-treatment with low-dose p38 inhibitor and 3-mA EA can counteract spinal phospho-p38 to exert strong analgesic effect. Our finding suggests a novel strategy to improve EA analgesic quality.
AB - Abstract Aims Postoperative pain is a major problem. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been accepted as a useful and low-risk complementary therapy for post-operative pain. Animal studies indicate that surgical incision activates p38 MAPK in the spinal microglia, which critically contributes to post-incisional nociceptive development. How EA affects incision-induced p38 activation is important but yet to be fully elucidated. Methods Male adult rats received plantar incision (PI) at the right hind paw followed by 30-min EA of 4-Hz, one of two intensities (3 and 10 mA), and at right ST36 (Zusanli) acupoint immediately after PI and for 3 successive days. EA analgesia was evaluated by von Frey fibers and Hargreaves' tests. Spinal p38 activation was examined by immunostaining. In separate groups, SB203580, a p38 inhibitor, was intrathecally injected alone or with EA to test the combining effect on nociception and spinal phospho-p38. Key findings EA of 10-mA significantly ameliorated mechanical allodynia, but 3-mA did not. None of them altered thermal hyperalgesia. Repeated EA could not inhibit phospho-p38 in the PI rats, contrarily, EA per se significantly induced phospho-p38 in the normal rats. Intrathecal SB203580 injection dose-dependently prevented PI-induced allodynia. Combination of low-dose SB203580 and 3-mA EA, which were ineffective individually, profoundly reduce post-PI allodynia. Significance We demonstrated that 10-mA EA exerts a significant inhibition against post-PI mechanical hypersensitivity via a p38-independent pathway. Importantly, co-treatment with low-dose p38 inhibitor and 3-mA EA can counteract spinal phospho-p38 to exert strong analgesic effect. Our finding suggests a novel strategy to improve EA analgesic quality.
KW - Electroacupuncture (EA)
KW - p38 MAPK
KW - Postoperative pain
KW - Spinal cord
KW - Zusanli (ST36)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84925138441&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84925138441&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.lfs.2015.01.035
DO - 10.1016/j.lfs.2015.01.035
M3 - Article
VL - 128
SP - 15
EP - 23
JO - Life Sciences
JF - Life Sciences
SN - 0024-3205
M1 - 14297
ER -