不同频率电针对正常大鼠脊髓背角的转录组学研究

Transcriptomics Study of the Transcriptional Response of the Spinal Dorsal Horn to Electroacupuncture Stimulation with Different Frequencies

目的探索生理状态下低频和高频电针对大鼠脊髓背角区域基因表达谱的影响,为理解不同频率的电针效应差异提供研究资料。方法采用基因表达谱芯片技术,检测比较2Hz和100Hz电针刺激大鼠双侧足三里穴(ST36)和三阴交穴(SP6)后脊髓背角区域基因表达的变化,识别差异表达基因,利用生物信息学手段对差异表达基因所涉及的基因功能和通路进行富集识别与分析。结果 (1)2Hz电针引起脊髓背角1150个基因/表达序列标签发生差异表达,100Hz电针引起1270个基因/表达序列标签发生差异表达。(2)2Hz和100Hz电针均能引起516个相同的基因/表达序列标签发生调变,并且调节方向一致,与神经系统信号传导相关。(3)2Hz特异调节差异表达的基因与神经可塑性相关。(4)100Hz特异调节差异表达的基因与应激和免疫调节相关。结论无论低频还是高频电针均能对脊髓背角神经信号传递产生较广泛的调节。低频电针更多参与神经可塑性调节,高频电针对应激和免疫功能调节更明显。

Objective To explore the effects of low- and high-frequency electroacupuncture （EA） on the gene expression profiles in rat spinal dorsal horn （DH） under the physiological state, thus providing the information to find out the differences of different EA frequencies induced effects. Methods Using cDNA microarray, the changes of the gene expressions in the DH were detected and compared between 2 Hz EA and 100 Hz EA at bilateral Zusanli （ST36） and Sanyinjiao（SP6）. The differentially expressed genes were identified. The EASE scores were used to comprehensively analyze the gene functions （by Gene Ontology） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathways. Results （1） After EA stimulation 1 150 genes/expressed sequence tags （ESTs） were differentially expressed by 2 Hz EA, while 1 270 genes/ESTs were differentially expressed by 100 Hz EA. （2） Both 2 Hz and 100 Hz EA could induce the modulation of the same 516 genes/ESTs in the same direction, which was correlated with neural signal transmission. （3） The differentially expressed genes regulated specifically by 2 Hz were correlated with neural plasticity. （4） The differentially expressed genes regulated specifically by 100 Hz were correlated with stress and immunoregulation. Conclusions Either low- or high-frequency EA could extensively regulate the spinal cord information processing. The low-frequency EA participated more in the regulation of neural plasticity, while high-frequency EA had more significant effects on stress and immunoregulation.