Effect of vagus nerve stimulation by electroacupuncture on GFAP and NeuN in hippocampal of juvenile rats with depression induced by chronic unpredictable stress
10.3760/cma.j.cn431274-20210922-01004
- VernacularTitle:电针迷走神经对慢性不可预知性应激致幼鼠抑郁模型海马组织GFAP、NeuN表达的影响
- Author:
Qiuxiang NING
1
;
Hongli PENG
;
Jianying XIAO
;
Chao YANG
;
Zhiqiang ZHOU
;
Fang LIU
;
Xiaoli LIANG
;
Dong YANG
Author Information
1. 湖南省脑科医院精神科，长沙 410007
- Keywords:
Vagus nerve stimulation;
Disease models, animal;
Depression;
Stress, psychological;
Glial fibrillary acidic protein
- From:
Journal of Chinese Physician
2022;24(4):538-542
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To analyze the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neuronal nuclei (NeuN) antigen in hippocampus based on the depression model of juvenile rats caused by chronic unpredictable stress (CUS), and to explore the effect of electroacupuncture vagus nerve on CUS depression model.Methods:Six juvenile SD rats were selected as the control group (without any stimulation), and the rest were divided into CUS group, pseudo stimulation group, fluoxetine group and electroacupuncture group by random number method after CUS modeling, with 6 rats in each group. Fluoxetine group was given 10 mg/kg fluoxetine intervention; control group and CUS group were given the same amount of normal saline intervention; In the electroacupuncture group, the distal vagus nerve was stimulated after ligation, while in the pseudo stimulation group, only vagus nerve was isolated without electrical stimulation. After 28 d of intervention, the five groups were subjected to Open-field Test and Sucrose Preference Test. Hippocampal neurons were detected by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and the expressions of GFAP and NeuN in hippocampal were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results:After CUS modeling and before intervention, the number of vertical and horizontal movements, sucrose consumption and sucrose preference in CUS group, pseudo stimulation group, fluoxetine group and electroacupuncture group were significantly lower than those in the control group (all P<0.01); After the intervention, the above indexes in CUS group and pseudo stimulation group were still lower than those in the control group (all P<0.01), but the above indexes in fluoxetine group and electroacupuncture group were significantly higher than those in CUS group and pseudo stimulation group (all P<0.01). HE staining showed that the arrangement of hippocampal neurons in CUS group and pseudo stimulation group were loose, and there were cell swelling and pyknosis, which was significantly improved in fluoxetine group and electroacupuncture group. Immunohistochemical results showed that compared with the control group, the expression of GFAP increased and NeuN decreased in the hippocampus of CUS group and pseudo stimulation group (all P<0.01); Compared with CUS group and pseudo stimulation group, the expression of GFAP decreased and NeuN increased in fluoxetine group and electroacupuncture group (all P<0.01). Conclusions:Electroacupuncture of vagus nerve can obviously improve the depression symptoms of juvenile rats, which is similar to fluoxetine, and may be related to regulating the expression of GFAP and Neun in hippocampus.
