Effect of acupuncture on neuronal function in the thalamic reticular nucleus of insomnia rats based on α7-nAChR.
10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240620-0002
- Author:
Zhijun SHU
1
;
Yipeng XU
1
;
Quanyi ZHANG
1
;
Dingjun CAI
1
;
Zhengyu ZHAO
1
Author Information
1. College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Chengdu University of TCM, Chengdu 610075, Sichuan Province, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
GABAergic Neurons;
acupuncture;
insomnia;
postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95);
thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN);
α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR)
- MeSH:
Animals;
Male;
Acupuncture Therapy;
alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor/genetics*;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley;
Rats;
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/physiopathology*;
Neurons/metabolism*;
Humans;
Thalamic Nuclei/physiopathology*;
Acupuncture Points;
Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein
- From:
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion
2025;45(12):1751-1758
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) in the regulation of neuronal activity and expression of synapse-related proteins in the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) of insomnia rats treated by acupuncture.
METHODS:A total of 36 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats of clean grade were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, an acupuncture group, and an acupuncture+antagonist group, with 9 rats in each group. The model group, the acupuncture group, and the acupuncture+antagonist group were treated with intraperitoneal injection of p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) to establish insomnia model. After successful modeling, the acupuncture group and the acupuncture+antagonist group received acupuncture at bilateral Neiguan (PC6) and Zusanli (ST36) once daily for 5 consecutive days. Thirty min before each acupuncture session, the acupuncture+antagonist group was intraperitoneally injected with methyllycaconitine citrate (MLA), an α7-nAChR antagonist, at a dosage of 5 mg/kg while the acupuncture group received the same volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution. The rats' daytime spontaneous activity was observed. Neuronal discharge in the TRN was detected using neuroelectrophysiological methods. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect parvalbumin-positive (PV+) neurons and co-expression of PV+ and postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) in the TRN.
RESULTS:Compared with the control group, the model group showed increased daytime spontaneous activity (P<0.01); decreased average fluorescence intensity and positive number of PV+ neurons in the TRN (P<0.01); decreased neuronal discharge frequency (P<0.01), prolonged inter-discharge intervals (P<0.01) in the TRN; reduced number of PV+/PSD-95 double-positive cells in the TRN (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the acupuncture group showed decreased daytime spontaneous activity (P<0.01); increased average fluorescence intensity and positive number of PV+ neurons in the TRN (P<0.01); increased neuronal discharge frequency (P<0.01), shortened inter-discharge intervals (P<0.01) in the TRN; increased number of PV+/PSD-95 double-positive cells in the TRN (P<0.05). Compared with the acupuncture group, the acupuncture+antagonist group exhibited increased daytime spontaneous activity (P<0.01); reduced average fluorescence intensity and positive number of PV⁺ neurons in the TRN (P<0.01); decreased neuronal discharge frequency (P<0.05), prolonged inter-discharge intervals (P<0.05) in the TRN; reduced number of PV+/PSD-95 double-positive cells in the TRN (P<0.01).
CONCLUSION:α7-nAChR are involved in mediating the regulatory effect of acupuncture on circadian rhythm disturbances in PCPA-induced insomnia rats. Blocking α7-nAChR attenuates the activating effect of acupuncture on TRN neurons, and reduces the expression of PSD-95 protein on GABAergic neurons.
