L Manni1, F Florenzano, L Aloe. 1. Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, National Research Council, Rome, Italy. luigi.manni@inmm.cnr.it
Abstract
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Diabetes is considered the leading cause of neuropathies in developed countries. Dysfunction of nerve growth factor (NGF) production and/or utilisation may lead to the establishment of diabetic neuropathies. Electroacupuncture has been proved effective in the treatment of human neuropathic pain as well as in modulating NGF production/activity. We aimed at using electroacupuncture to correct the development of thermal hyperalgesia and the tissue alteration of NGF and sensory neuromodulators in a rat model of type 1 diabetes. METHODS: Adult rats were injected with streptozotocin to induce diabetes and subsequently treated with low-frequency electroacupuncture for 3 weeks. Variation in thermal sensitivity was studied during the experimental course. Hindpaw skin and spinal cord protein content of NGF, NGF receptor tyrosine kinase A (TrkA), substance P (SP), transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptor and glutamic acid decarboxylase-67 (GAD-67) were measured after electroacupuncture treatments. The skin and spinal cord cellular distribution of TrkA was analysed to explore NGF signalling. RESULTS: Early after streptozotocin treatment, thermal hyperalgesia developed that was corrected by electroacupuncture. The parallel increases in NGF and TrkA in the spinal cord were counteracted by electroacupuncture. Streptozotocin also induced variation in skin/spinal TrkA phosphorylation, increases in skin SP and spinal TRPV1 and a decrease in spinal GAD-67. These changes were counteracted by electroacupuncture. CONCLUSIONS/ INTERPRETATION: Our results point to the potential of electroacupuncture as a supportive therapy for the treatment of diabetic neuropathies. The efficacy of electroacupuncture might depend on its actions on spinal/peripheral NGF synthesis/utilisation and normalisation of the levels of several sensory neuromodulators.
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Diabetes is considered the leading cause of neuropathies in developed countries. Dysfunction of nerve growth factor (NGF) production and/or utilisation may lead to the establishment of diabetic neuropathies. Electroacupuncture has been proved effective in the treatment of humanneuropathic pain as well as in modulating NGF production/activity. We aimed at using electroacupuncture to correct the development of thermal hyperalgesia and the tissue alteration of NGF and sensory neuromodulators in a rat model of type 1 diabetes. METHODS: Adult rats were injected with streptozotocin to induce diabetes and subsequently treated with low-frequency electroacupuncture for 3 weeks. Variation in thermal sensitivity was studied during the experimental course. Hindpaw skin and spinal cord protein content of NGF, NGF receptor tyrosine kinase A (TrkA), substance P (SP), transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptor and glutamic acid decarboxylase-67 (GAD-67) were measured after electroacupuncture treatments. The skin and spinal cord cellular distribution of TrkA was analysed to explore NGF signalling. RESULTS: Early after streptozotocin treatment, thermal hyperalgesia developed that was corrected by electroacupuncture. The parallel increases in NGF and TrkA in the spinal cord were counteracted by electroacupuncture. Streptozotocin also induced variation in skin/spinal TrkA phosphorylation, increases in skin SP and spinal TRPV1 and a decrease in spinal GAD-67. These changes were counteracted by electroacupuncture. CONCLUSIONS/ INTERPRETATION: Our results point to the potential of electroacupuncture as a supportive therapy for the treatment of diabetic neuropathies. The efficacy of electroacupuncture might depend on its actions on spinal/peripheral NGF synthesis/utilisation and normalisation of the levels of several sensory neuromodulators.
Authors: Bichoy H Gabra; Ouhida Benrezzak; Leng-Hong Pheng; Dana Duta; Philippe Daull; Pierre Sirois; François Nantel; Bruno Battistini Journal: J Neuropathol Exp Neurol Date: 2005-09 Impact factor: 3.685
Authors: E Stener-Victorin; T Lundeberg; U Waldenström; L Manni; L Aloe; S Gunnarsson; P O Janson Journal: Biol Reprod Date: 2000-11 Impact factor: 4.285
Authors: Reddy M Pabbidi; Shuang-Quan Yu; Siying Peng; Romesh Khardori; Mary E Pauza; Louis S Premkumar Journal: Mol Pain Date: 2008-03-01 Impact factor: 3.395
Authors: Stefania Lucia Nori; Maria Luisa Rocco; Fulvio Florenzano; Maria Teresa Ciotti; Luigi Aloe; Luigi Manni Journal: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med Date: 2013-04-21 Impact factor: 2.629
Authors: Giovanna Franconi; Luigi Manni; Sven Schröder; Paolo Marchetti; Nicola Robinson Journal: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med Date: 2013-07-24 Impact factor: 2.629