电针对慢性应激抑郁模型大鼠海马VEGF-C、CXCR4和趋化因子IP-10蛋白表达的影响

Objective: To investigate the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) on hippocampal vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C), chemokine cys-x-cys receptor 4 (CXCR4) and interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) in depression disorder rats. Methods: This rat model of depression disorder was induced by unpredictably chronic-mild stimulation. Forty male rats were randomly divided into normal, model, EA and fluoxetine groups. Rats in EA group were elecro-acupunctured at GV20 (Baihui) and GV29 (Yintang). Rats in fluoxetine group were administered with fluoxetine (0.18 ㎎/ml) by gavage (1ml/100g). At 28 days post-intervention, the expression of hippocampal VEGF-C, CXCR4 and IP-10 were detected based on antibody microarrays technology. Fold change, ratio of the density of the proteins, was used to investigate alteration of the differential protein expression. Results: Compared with the normal group, unpredictably chronic-mild stimulation up-regulated the expression of hippocampal VEGF-C, CXCR4 and IP-10 in model group (fold change = 1.34; 1.21; 1.50). Compared with the model group, EA and fluoxetine reversed the up-regulation of hippocampal VEGF-C, CXCR4 and IP-10 (fold change = 0.66, 0.65, 0.72; fold change = 0.59, 0.57, 0.62). Conclusion: There is a possibility that the effects of electro-acupuncture on depression disorder is to regulate the expression of hippocampal VEGF-C, CXCR4 and IP-10, which might elucidate the mechanism of the anti-depressive effect of EA therapy.