Original Articles

Somatostatin and electroacupuncture inhibited c-fos expression in spinal cord of arthritic rats

Huai-Zhen Ruan, Xi-Cheng Li, Hai-Di Li, Bang-Yun Zhao

Abstract

AIM: To observer the effect of intrathecal injection of somatostatin (Som)
associated with electroacupuncture (EA) at ""Jiaji"" points on c-fos protein
expression of spinal cord in pain rats.
METHODS: Rats with adjuvant arthritis were used as pain model and the c-fos-like
immunoreactivity (FLI) was detected by immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS: The c-fos protein expression induced by arthritis were found in all of
the I-X laminae of ipsilateral spinal cord of rats, and most of the labeled cells
were located in the laminae I-II and V-VI. Som and EA suppressed the c-fos
expression and the lessening of FLI cells in the spinal cord.
CONCLUSION: Pathological pain following arthritis activated pain sensitive
neurons (PSN) and evoked c-fos expression in spinal cord, Som and EA suppressed
activities of these PSN, producing the effect of analgesia.
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