目的观察针刺百会、大椎穴对海洛因复吸大鼠脑组织糖调节蛋白78(glucose regulated protein 78,GRP78)和钙网织蛋白(calreticulin,CRT)的影响,探讨针刺干预海洛因脑损伤的机制。方法将40只SD雄性大鼠随机分为正常组、依赖组、模型组、针刺组和药物组,每组8只。按重复3次"染毒→戒断"的方法复制海洛因复吸大鼠模型。于实验第46天取各组大鼠海马、中脑腹侧被盖区(ventral tegmental area,VTA)脑组织,分别运用荧光RT-PCR和Western blot法,观察各组大鼠海马和VTA区GRP78和CRT蛋白及其mRNA表达水平。结果与正常组比较,模型组和依赖组大鼠海马和VTA中CRT、GRP78蛋白及其mRNA表达水平显著降低(P〈0.05);与模型组比较,针刺组大鼠海马和VTA中CRT、GRP78蛋白及其mRNA表达水平显著增高(P〈0.05);针刺组与药物组比较,仅海马CRT mRNA表达水平的差异具有统计学意义(P〈0.05)。结论针刺干预海洛因脑损伤的机制与其上调海马和VTA中CRT、GRP78的表达水平有关。
Objective To observe the effects of acupuncture at Baihui and Dazhui points on the expression of glucose-regulated protein 78(GRP78)and calreticulin(CRT)in the brain tissues of heroin re-addicted rats and to investigate the mechanism of acupuncture therapy for heroin-induced brain injury.Methods Forty male SpragueDawley rats were randomly and equally divided into normal group,dependence group,model group,acupuncture group,and medication group.A heroin re-addicted rat model was established by three times of drug taking and withdrawal.On day 46 of the experiment,brain tissues(hippocampus and ventral tegmental area(VTA)of the midbrain)were collected from each group,and the mRNA and protein expression levels of GRP78 and CRT in rat hippocampus and VTA were measured by fluorescent RT-PCR and Western blot,respectively.Results Compared with the normal group,the model group and dependence group had significantly reduced mRNA and protein expression levels of CRT and GRP78 in the hippocampus and VTA(P〈0.05);compared with the model group,the acupuncture group had significantly increased mRNA and protein expression levels of CRT and GRP78 in the hippocampus and VTA(P〈0.05);there was a significant difference only in hippocampal CRT mRNA expression between the acupuncture group and the medication group(P〈0.05).Conclusion The mechanism of acupuncture therapy for heroin-induced brain injury is related to up-regulation of the expression of CRT and GRP78 in the hippocampus and VTA.