Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine (동의생리병리학회지)

The Physiological Society of Korean Medicine and The Society of Pathology in Korean Medicine (대한동의생리학회·한의병리학회)
권호 표지

Effect of Electroacupuncture on ERK Activation in Carrageenan-induced Inflammatory Pain Model

  • Kim, Ji-Hwan (Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University) ;
  • Lee, Si-Hyoung (Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University) ;
  • Kim, Ha-Neui (Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University) ;
  • Kim, Yu-Ri (Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University) ;
  • Lee, Yong-Tae (Department of Physiology, College of Oriental Medicine, Dongeui University) ;
  • Choi, Byung-Tae (Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University)
  • Received : 2010.08.31
  • Accepted : 2010.09.15
  • Published : 2010.10.25
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

The present study found that EA pre-treatment effectively attenuated both spinal ERK activation and hyperalgesia against carrageenan-induced inflammation, whereas EA co-treatment with carrageenan injection unexpectedly elevated ERK activation in a synergistic manner and virtually had no analgesic effect. Therefore, we have concluded that the molecular mechanism of EA anagesia may be related to the inhibition of spinal ERK activation. Further experiments are required to find the intermediate candidates which transmits the pain-alleviating signals on the way of inhibiting ERK activation by EA.

Keywords

References

  1. Galan, A., Lopez-Garcia, J.A., Cervero, F., Laird, J.M. Activation of spinal extracellular signaling-regulated kinase-1 and -2 by intraplantar carrageenan in rodents. Neuroscience letters. 322: 37-40, 2002. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(02)00078-2
  2. Ji, R.R., Baba, H., Brenner, G.J., Woolf, C.J. Nociceptive-specific activation of ERK in spinal neurons contributes to pain hypersensitivity. Nature neuroscience. 2: 1114-1119, 1999. https://doi.org/10.1038/16040
  3. Adwanikar, H., Karim, F., Gereau, R.W.4th. Inflammation persistently enhances nocifensive behaviors mediated by spinal group I mGluRs through sustained ERK activation. Pain. 111: 125-135, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2004.06.009
  4. Kawasaki, Y., Kohno, T., Zhuang, Z.Y., Brenner, G.J., Wang, H., Van Der Meer, C., et al. Ionotropic and metabotropic receptors, protein kinase A, protein kinase C, and Src contribute to C-fiber-induced ERK activation and cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation in dorsal horn neurons, leading to central sensitization. The Journal of neuroscience. 24: 8310-8321, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2396-04.2004
  5. Ji, R.R., Gereau, R.W.4th., Malcangio, M., Strichartz, G.R. MAP kinase and pain. Brain Research Reviews. 60: 135-148, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresrev.2008.12.011
  6. Ji, R.R., Befort, K., Brenner, G.J., Woolf, C.J. ERK MAP kinase activation in superficial spinal cord neurons induces prodynorphin and NK-1 upregulation and contributes to persistent inflammatory pain hypersensitivity. The Journal of neuroscience. 22: 478-485, 2002. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.22-02-00478.2002
  7. Obata, K., Noguchi, K. MAPK activation in nociceptive neurons and pain hypersensitivity. Life Sciences. 74: 2643-2653, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2004.01.007
  8. Karim, F., Wang, C.C., Gereau, R.W., 4th. Metabotropic glutamate receptor subtypes 1 and 5 are activators of extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling required for inflammatory pain in mice. The Journal of neuroscience. 21: 3771-3779, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-11-03771.2001
  9. Ji, R.R., Woolf, C.J. Neuronal plasticity and signal transduction in nociceptive neurons: implications for the initiation and maintenance of pathological pain. Neurobiology of disease. 8: 1-10, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1006/nbdi.2000.0360
  10. Zhao, Z.Q. Neural mechanism underlying acupuncture analgesia. Progress in neurobiology. 85: 355-375, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pneurobio.2008.05.004
  11. Hsu, D.T. Acupuncture: A review. Regional anesthesia. 21: 361-370, 1996.
  12. Zhang, R.X., Lao, L., Wang, X., Fan, A., Wang, L., Ren, K., et al. Electroacupuncture attenuates inflammation in a rat model. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine. 11: 135-142, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2005.11.135
  13. Lin, J.G., Chen, W.L. Acupuncture analgesia: a review of its mechanisms of actions. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 36: 635-645, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0192415X08006107
  14. Zhang, R.X., Lao, L., Wang, L., Liu, B., Wang, X., Ren, K., et al. Involvement of opioid receptors in electroacupuncture-produced anti-hyperalgesia in rats with peripheral inflammation. Brain research. 1020: 12-17, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2004.05.067
  15. Yonehara, N. Yamaki, F. Pain and glutamate receptors. The Japanese journal of anesthesiology. 56: 129-140, 2007.
  16. Zhang, R.X., Wang, L., Liu, B., Qiao, J.T., Ren, K., Berman, B.M., et al. Mu opioid receptor-containing neurons mediate electroacupuncture-produced anti-hyperalgesia in rats with hind paw inflammation. Brain research. 1048: 235-240, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2005.05.008
  17. Koo, S.T., Park, Y.I., Lim, K.S., Chung, K., Chung, J.M. Acupuncture analgesia in a new rat model of ankle sprain pain. Pain. 99: 423-431, 2002. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3959(02)00164-1
  18. Gao, Y.J., Ji, R.R. c-Fos and pERK, which is a better marker for neuronal activation and central sensitization after noxious stimulation and tissue injury? The open pain journal. 2: 11-17, 2009. https://doi.org/10.2174/1876386300902010011
  19. Garrido-Suarez, B.B., Garrido, G., Marquez, L., Martinez, I., Hernandez, I., Merino, N., et al. Pre-emptive anti-hyperalgesic effect of electroacupuncture in carrageenan-induced inflammation: role of nitric oxide. Brain research bulletin. 79: 339-344, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2009.04.014
  20. Zhang, Y.Q., Ji, G.C., Wu, G.C., Zhao, Z.Q. Excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists and electroacupuncture synergetically inhibit carrageenan-induced behavioral hyperalgesia and spinal fos expression in rats. Pain. 99: 525-535, 2002. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3959(02)00268-3