[Animal experiment]-Intervention of electroacupuncture on activation of dorsal root ganglion satellite glial cells and P2X7 receptor expression in rats with inflammatory pain

  Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on chronic inflammatory pain, plantar withdrawal threshold (PWT) of dorsal root ganglion rats and activation of satellite glial cells and their P2X7 receptors. To study the effect of electroacupuncture on the activation of satellite glial cells and its P2X7 receptor in DRG) the peripheral mechanism of anti-inflammatory pain in rats.

  Methods: Part 1: Rat blank group (same group, n = 12), inflammatory pain group (CFA group, n = 12), inflammatory pain + electroacupuncture group (CFA + EA group, n = 12)) . Inflammatory pain + sham electroacupuncture group (CFA + sEA group, n = 12). The model was established in rats with inflammatory pain by subcutaneously injecting 0.1 mL of complete Freud's adjuvant (CFA) into the center of the palm of the right hind leg. Point "Zusanli" and "Kunlun" electric acupuncture, electric acupuncture parameter density wave, frequency 2/100Hz, intensity 0.5-1-1.5mA (each intensity treatment is 10 minutes), for 7 consecutive days every day. Before and after modeling and 1, 3, 7, 8, 10, 12, and 14 days after modeling, the mechanical pain threshold of each group of rats was measured. 14 days after modeling, Western blotting was used to detect the glial acidity of the affected DRG in each group of rats. Activate protein (glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP) and P2X7 receptors. Part 2: Random inflammatory pain + DMSO group (CFA + DMSO group, n = 8), inflammatory pain + P2X7R inhibitor A740003 group (CFA + A740003 group, n = 10), rat inflammatory pain + electrical Split needle + salt group (CFA + EA + S group, n = 8), inflammatory pain + electroacupuncture + P2X7R agonist BzATP group (CFA + EA + BzATP group, n = 12), each corresponding to intrathecal injection of drugs. The changes of rat PWT were detected before surgery, before modeling, after modeling and after administration.

  Results: (1) The pain threshold of CFA-induced inflammation model rats was significantly reduced (P0.05). (2) Intrathecal injection of P2X7 inhibitor A740003 significantly increased the mechanical pain threshold of CFA rats (P\u003c0.01); compared with CFA + DMSO group, CFA + EA + BzATP. The PWT of this group was significantly lower than that of the CFA + EA + S group (P\u003c0.01).

  Conclusion: The activation of rat dorsal root ganglion glial cells and the inhibition of P2X7 receptor expression may be one of the peripheral mechanisms of electroacupuncture for chronic analgesia.