2. Academic Validation
  3. Electroacupuncture prevents the development or establishment of chronic pain via IL-33/ST2 signaling in hyperalgesic priming model rats

Electroacupuncture prevents the development or establishment of chronic pain via IL-33/ST2 signaling in hyperalgesic priming model rats

  • Neurosci Lett. 2023 Dec 22:137611. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137611.
Ying Jin 1,  Jie Zhou 2,  Yinfeng Fang 3,  Hongyun Song 4,  Shiming Lin 4,  Bowen Pan 5,  Lanying Liu 6,  Bing Xiong 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Rehabilitation in Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 88, Jiefang Road, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province 310009, China; Department of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing City, Jiangsu 210029, China.
  • 2 The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 219 Moganshan Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province 310005, China.
  • 3 The School of Communication Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province 310018, China.
  • 4 Department of Rehabilitation in Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 88, Jiefang Road, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province 310009, China.
  • 5 Department of Traumatology, Affiliated Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Children's Health, Hangzhou 310052, China.
  • 6 Department of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing City, Jiangsu 210029, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 7 Department of Rehabilitation in Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 88, Jiefang Road, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province 310009, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 38142925 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137611
Abstract

Background: Chronic pain is acomplexhealth issue. Compared to acute pain, which has a protective value, chronic pain is defined as persistent pain after tissue injury. Few clinical advances have been made to prevent the transition from acute to chronic pain. Electroacupuncture (EA), the most common form of acupuncture, is widely used in clinical practice to relieve pain.

Methods: The hyperalgesic priming model, established via a carrageenan injection followed by a prostaglandin E2 injection, was used to investigate the development or establishment of chronic pain. We observed the hyperalgesic effect of EA on rats and investigated the expression p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, interleukin-33 (IL-33), and its receptor ST2 in astrocytes in the L4-L6 spinal cord dorsal horns (SDHs) after EA. The IL-33/ST2 signaling pathway in SDH is associated with the development of chronic pain.

Results: EA can reverse the pain threshold in hyperalgesic priming model rats and regulates the expression of phosphorylated p38, IL-33, and ST2 in astrocytes in the L4-L6 SDHs. We discovered that EA raises the pain threshold. This suggests that EA can prevent the development or establishment of chronic pain by inhibiting IL-33/ST2 signaling in the lower central nervous system.

Conclusions: EA can alleviate the development or establishment of chronic pain by modulating IL-33/ST2 signaling in SDHs. Our findings will help clinicians understand the mechanisms of EA analgesia.

Keywords

Astrocytes; Hyperalgesia; Hypersensitivity; Pain transition; Spinal dorsal horn.

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