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01-08-2019 | Original Article

Deep Sequencing Identification of Differentially Expressed miRNAs in the Spinal Cord of Resiniferatoxin-Treated Rats in Response to Electroacupuncture

Authors: Jing Zou, Xueyang Dong, Yanling Li, Siqi Tong, Jingwen Wang, Mingxuan Liao, Guofu Huang

Published in: Neurotoxicity Research | Issue 2/2019

Abstract

Electroacupuncture (EA) is an effective treatment to relieve pain in patients with postherpetic neuralgia. However, the mechanisms of EA involved therein are still unknown. We first injected resiniferatoxin (RTX) into Sprague Dawley rats to construct the neuralgia model. One week after injection, the rats were treated with EA at the “Huantiao” (GB30) and “Yanglingquan” (GB34) acupoints for 5 weeks. Nociceptive behavioral tests were performed to analyze the changes in thermal sensitivity and mechanical allodynia after RTX induction and EA treatment. Deep sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs in the spinal cord of RTX-induced rats in response to EA treatment. The nociceptive behavioral tests showed that EA at the left GB30 and GB34 acupoints significantly reduced RTX-induced tactile sensitivity and increased RTX-inhibited thermal sensitivity. The sequencing data indicated that RTX resulted in one upregulated and five downregulated miRNAs, and EA treatment resulted in two upregulated miRNAs. Furthermore, seven upregulated and two downregulated miRNAs were found between rats subjected to EA and sham operation. Functional analysis suggested that the targets of differentially expressed miRNAs were enriched in many nervous system–related pathways. The pathway-gene-miRNA net analysis showed that miR-7a-5p had the most target genes. Moreover, miR-233-3p was downregulated after RTX injection and upregulated by EA treatment. We speculated that the upregulation of miR-7a-5p and miR-233-3p is involved in the analgesic effects of EA. Our analysis on the EA-induced differential expression of miRNAs provides novel insights into the mechanisms of EA analgesia in postherpetic neuralgia.

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Title: Deep Sequencing Identification of Differentially Expressed miRNAs in the Spinal Cord of Resiniferatoxin-Treated Rats in Response to Electroacupuncture
Authors: Jing Zou
Xueyang Dong
Yanling Li
Siqi Tong
Jingwen Wang
Mingxuan Liao
Guofu Huang
Publication date: 01-08-2019
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Neurotoxicity Research / Issue 2/2019
Print ISSN: 1029-8428
Electronic ISSN: 1476-3524
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12640-019-00052-8

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Deep Sequencing Identification of Differentially Expressed miRNAs in the Spinal Cord of Resiniferatoxin-Treated Rats in Response to Electroacupuncture

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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