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Effect of acupuncture in intervening heroin-induced brain damage via regulating ubiquitin-proteasome pathway

Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture in regulating ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP), and discuss the action of acupuncture in intervening heroin-induced brain damage. Methods Thirty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into a control group, a model group and an acupuncture group by...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of acupuncture and tuina science 2018-04, Vol.16 (2), p.80-88
Main Authors: Zhang, Li-da, Cao, Jiang-peng, Cai, Xing-hui, Wu, Sheng-bing, Hou, Xiao-rong, Gao, Yong-long, Zhang, Rong-jun, Song, Xiao-ge
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture in regulating ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP), and discuss the action of acupuncture in intervening heroin-induced brain damage. Methods Thirty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into a control group, a model group and an acupuncture group by using the random number table. Rats in the model and acupuncture groups received intramuscular heroin injection for successive 8 d at a progressively increased dose. Afterwards, the injection was suspended for 5 d for withdrawal. The heroin relapse rat model was established by repeating the drug addiction and withdrawal process for 3 times. The control group followed the step of the model establishment, but was given intramuscular injection of normal saline at the stage of addiction and no intervention at the stage of withdrawal; the model group was given intramuscular heroin injection at a progressively increased dose at the addiction stage and no intervention at the withdrawal stage; the acupuncture group was dealt in the same way as the model group at the addiction stage, but received acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20) and Dazhui (GV 14) at the withdrawal stage, with the needles retained for 30 min each time, 1 session a day, for successive 5 d. On the 39th day, brain tissues were extracted from the hippocampus and ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the three groups of rats. The apoptosis of brain nerve cells was detected by using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick and labeling (TUNEL). The mRNA and protein expressions of ubiquitin (Ub), ubiquitin protein ligase (E3) and 26S were examined by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results Compared with the model group, rat’s hippocampus and VTA in the acupuncture group showed significantly fewer cells positively stained by TUNEL staining ( P
ISSN:1672-3597
1993-0399
DOI:10.1007/s11726-018-1029-z