Warm acupuncture therapy alleviates neuronal apoptosis after spinal cord injury via inhibition of the ERK signaling pathway

PURPOSE: Warm acupuncture (WA) therapy has been applied to treat spinal cord injury (SCI), but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The current study attempted to explore the WA therapy on neuronal apoptosis of SCI and the relationship with the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway.

METHODS: The rat SCI models were established by the impact method. SCI rat models were subjected to WA treatment at Dazhui (GV14) and Jiaji points (T10), Yaoyangguan (GV3), Zusanli (ST36), and Ciliao (BL32). The rat SCI models were established by the impact method. WA and U0126 treatments were performed on the SCI rats. Motor function and neuronal apoptosis were detected. The relative mRNA of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), the phosphorylation level of ERK 1/2 and levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), BCL2-Associated X (Bax), and caspase-3 in spinal cord tissue were tested.

RESULTS: After WA treatment, the Basso, Beattie & Bresnahan locomotor rating scale (BBB scale) of SCI rats in the WA treatment was significantly raised from 7 to 14 days after SCI. WA and U0126 treatment significantly diminished apoptotic cells and preserved the neurons in the injured spinal cord. WA and U0126 treatment alleviated the production of inflammatory cytokines in the spinal cord. The distinct increase of p-ERK 1/2 induced by SCI was reversed in WA and U0126 treatment groups. WA and U0126 treatment augmented the level of Bcl-2 and reversed the elevated cleaved caspase-3 protein level after SCI.

CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that WA might be associated with the downregulation of the ERK signaling pathway. In summary, our findings indicated that WA promotes the recovery of SCI via the protection of nerve cells and the prevention of apoptosis. Meanwhile, the anti-apoptotic effect of WA might be associated with the downregulation of the ERK signaling pathway, which could be one of the mechanisms of WA in the treatment of SCI.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2023

Erschienen:

2023

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:46

Enthalten in:

The journal of spinal cord medicine - 46(2023), 5 vom: 10. Sept., Seite 798-806

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Ding, Li-Li-Qiang [VerfasserIn]
Hu, Song-Feng [VerfasserIn]
He, Xing-Wei [VerfasserIn]
Zhang, Peng [VerfasserIn]
Zhao, Fen-Fen [VerfasserIn]
Cheng, Li-Hong [VerfasserIn]
Huang, Bing-Lin [VerfasserIn]
Liu, Ting-Ping [VerfasserIn]
Zhang, Qin [VerfasserIn]
He, Fan [VerfasserIn]
Hu, Sha-Sha [VerfasserIn]
Zhang, Ya-Jing [VerfasserIn]
Yu, Ying [VerfasserIn]
Xiong, Peng [VerfasserIn]
Wang, Chang-Kang [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Acupuncture
Apoptosis
Caspase 3
EC 2.7.11.24
EC 3.4.22.-
ERK 1/2
Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
Journal Article
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Spinal cord injury
U 0126
U0126

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 23.08.2023

Date Revised 01.09.2023

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1080/10790268.2022.2088498

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM343134470