Chinese Tuina remodels the synaptic structure in neuropathic pain rats by downregulating the expression of N-methyl D-aspartate receptor subtype 2B and postsynaptic density protein-95 in the spinal cord dorsal horn.

Content Provider	Europe PMC
Author	HUANG, Hongye WANG, Bingqian CHEN, Shuijin FANG, Jiayu WANG, Xiaohua CHEN, Lechun JIANG, Yu ZHANG, Huanzhen CHEN, Jincheng LIN, Zhigang
Copyright Year	2023
Abstract	OBJECTIVE To investigate whether the Chinese massage system, Tuina, exerts analgesic effects in a rat model of chronic constriction injury (CCI) by remodeling the synaptic structure in the spinal cord dorsal horn (SCDH). METHODS Sixty-nine male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly and evenly divided into the normal group, sham group, CCI group, CCI + Tuina group, CCI + MK-801 [an N-methyl D-aspartate receptor subtype 2B (NR2B) antagonist] group, and CCI + MK-801 + Tuina group. The neuropathic pain model was established using CCI with right sciatic nerve ligation. Tuina was administered 4 d after CCI surgery, using pressing manipulation for 10 min, once daily. Motor function was observed with the inclined plate test, and pain behaviors were observed by the Von Frey test and acetone spray test. At 19 d after surgery, the L3-L5 spinal cord segments were removed. Glutamate, interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The protein expression levels of NR2B and postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) were detected by Western blot, and the synaptic structure was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RESULTS CCI reduced motor function and caused mechanical and cold allodynia in rats, increased glutamate concentration and TNF-α and IL-1β levels, and increased expression of synapse-related proteins NR2B and PSD-95 in the SCDH. TEM revealed that the synaptic structure of SCDH neurons was altered. Most of these disease-induced changes were reversed by Tuina and intrathecal injection of MK-801 (P < 0.05 or < 0.01). For the majority of experiments, no significant differences were found between the CCI + MK-801 and CCI + MK-801 + Tuina groups. CONCLUSIONS Chinese Tuina can alleviate pain by remodeling the synaptic structure, and NR2B and PSD-95 receptors in the SCDH may be among its targets.
Related Links	https://europepmc.org/backend/ptpmcrender.fcgi?accid=PMC10626369&blobtype=pdf
ISSN	02552922
Volume Number	43
DOI	10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20221214.002
PubMed Central reference number	PMC10626369
Issue Number	4
PubMed reference number	37454256
Journal	Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine [J Tradit Chin Med]
e-ISSN	2589451X
Language	English
Publisher	Editorial board of Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Publisher Date	2023-08-01
Publisher Place	China
Access Restriction	Open
Rights License	© 2023 JTCM. All rights reserved.
Subject Keyword	neuralgia spinal cord dorsal horn receptors, N-Methyl-D-aspartate disks large homolog 4 protein neuronal plasticity Chinese Tuina
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Complementary and Alternative Medicine