Electroacupuncture at Fengchi(GB20) inhibits calcitonin gene-related peptide expression in the trigeminovascular system of a rat model of migraine  

作　　者：Luo-peng Zhao Lu Liu Pei Pei Zheng-yang Qu Yu-pu Zhu Lin-peng Wang 

机构地区：[1]Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China [2]Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China [3]The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China

出　　处：《Neural Regeneration Research》2017年第5期804-811,共8页中国神经再生研究（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81603683;a grant from the National Basic Research Program of China,No.2014CB543203;a grant from the Beijing Municipal Science&Technology Commission of China,No.Z171100001017033

摘　　要：Most migraine patients suffer from cutaneous allodynia; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Calcitonin gene-related peptide（CGRP） plays an important role in the pathophysiology of migraine, and it is therefore, a potential therapeutic target for treating the pain. In the present study, a rat model of conscious migraine, induced by repeated electrical stimulation of the superior sagittal sinus, was established and treated with electroacupuncture at Fengchi（GB20）（depth of 2–3 mm, frequency of 2/15 Hz, intensity of 0.5–1.0 m A, 15 minutes/day, for 7 consecutive days）. Electroacupuncture at GB20 significantly alleviated the decrease in hind paw and facial withdrawal thresholds and significantly lessened the increase in the levels of CGRP in the trigeminal ganglion, trigeminal nucleus caudalis and ventroposterior medial thalamic nucleus in rats with migraine. No CGRP-positive cells were detected in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis or ventroposterior medial thalamic nucleus by immunofluorescence. Our findings suggest that electroacupuncture treatment ameliorates migraine pain and associated cutaneous allodynia by modulating the trigeminovascular system ascending pathway, at least in part by inhibiting CGRP expression in the trigeminal ganglion.Most migraine patients suffer from cutaneous allodynia; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Calcitonin gene-related peptide（CGRP） plays an important role in the pathophysiology of migraine, and it is therefore, a potential therapeutic target for treating the pain. In the present study, a rat model of conscious migraine, induced by repeated electrical stimulation of the superior sagittal sinus, was established and treated with electroacupuncture at Fengchi（GB20）（depth of 2–3 mm, frequency of 2/15 Hz, intensity of 0.5–1.0 m A, 15 minutes/day, for 7 consecutive days）. Electroacupuncture at GB20 significantly alleviated the decrease in hind paw and facial withdrawal thresholds and significantly lessened the increase in the levels of CGRP in the trigeminal ganglion, trigeminal nucleus caudalis and ventroposterior medial thalamic nucleus in rats with migraine. No CGRP-positive cells were detected in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis or ventroposterior medial thalamic nucleus by immunofluorescence. Our findings suggest that electroacupuncture treatment ameliorates migraine pain and associated cutaneous allodynia by modulating the trigeminovascular system ascending pathway, at least in part by inhibiting CGRP expression in the trigeminal ganglion.

关 键 词：nerve regeneration ELECTROACUPUNCTURE MIGRAINE calcitonin gene-related peptide cutaneous allodynia ANTI-NOCICEPTIVE FENGCHI trigeminal ganglion neural regeneration 

分 类 号：R245[医药卫生—针灸推拿学]