| The purpose of the present study was to investigate the regulatory role of acupuncture at Renzhong,Neiguan,Sanyinjiao acupoint in Arom expression in the hippocampus of the ovariectomized rats.The Experimental female SD rats with the ages of 4-5 months were evenly divided into three groups: intact group(sham-operation),ovariectomized group(Ovx),ovariectomy and acupuncture group(Ovx+Ac), all three groups were binded.Radioimmunoassay(RIA) was used to measure the estradiol(E2) and testosterone(T) content in serum. The Arom activity of the cultured brain tissues were detected in vitro by the conversion of T to E2 using the tissue culture method and then the E2 was measured by RIA. The Arom mRNA and protein positive neurons in the hippocampus were detected with in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical techniques and the results were processed with a computerized analysis system. The results are as follows: Compared with the Sham group, the serum E2 and T levels were significantly lowered, the area and integral optical density of the Arom mRNA and protein positive neurons in the hippocampus decreased obviously in Ovx group, while the Arom activity of the cultured brain tissues declined slightly but were not significant. However, the serum E2 and T levels were higher in the Ovx+Ac group than that of in the Ovx group, the area and integral optical density of the Arom mRNA and protein positive neurons in the hippocampus increased more obviously in the Ovx+Ac group than that of the Ovx group, while the Arom activity of the cultured brain tissues increased slightly but was not significant . The results mentioned above indicate that the expression of Arom gene in the hippocampus area of brain is parallel to the estrogen level in the body. The expression of Arom gene in the brain of the ovariectomy and acupuncture group increased obviously, thus making the estradiol level higher in the local brain, and it will be a good measurement to prevent and cure the aged illness in the brain. |
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