[Effect of acupuncture on expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene and protein in frontal cortex and hippocampus of depression rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of acupuncture of "Baihui" (GV 20) to "Yintang" (EX-HN 3) and unilateral "Neiguan" (PC 6) on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene and protein in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in chronic stress-induced depression rats.
METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (6 rats/group): control, control + acupuncture, model, and model + acupuncture. Depression model was established by giving the rats with repeated abstinence of food and water, illumination at night, forced cold water-swimming, vibration, tail-clamping, constraint and raising alone for 28 days. Acupuncture was applied to "Baihui" (GV 20) to "Yintang" (EX-HN 3) and unilateral "Neiguan"(PC 6) once every other day for 28 days. The expression levels of BDNF mRNA and protein of the frontal cortex and hippocampus tissues were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot methods, separately.
RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the expression levels of BDNF mRNA and protein in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were significantly decreased in the model group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Whereas compared with the model group, BDNF mRNA and protein expression levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were significantly upregulated in the model + acupuncture group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). No significant differences were found between the control and control + acupuncture groups in the expression levels of cortical and hippocampal BDNF mRNA and protein (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can effectively reverse chronic stress-induced down-regulation of BDNF mRNA and protein expression in the frontal cortex and hippocampus in depression rats, which may contribute to its effect in anti-depression by protecting the regeneration of neurons.