The Exploration Of Relation Between C-fos, C-jun And The Plasticity Of Spinal Cord As Well As Acupuncture Promoting Plasticity Of Spinal Cord

Objective: To explore the changes on expression of immediate early genes c-fos and c-jun in spared dorsal root ganglia(DRG, L₆), spinal lamina II and Clarke' nucleus (L₃) of normal adult, partial dorsal rhizotomy and acupuncture spared DRG cats so as to know the relation between c-fos , c-jun and the plasticity of spinal cord as well as acupuncture promoting plasticity of spinal cord.Methods: 25 adult cats were divided into 5 groups: normal control group; unilateral partial root rhizotomy 7th day and 14th day groups (unilateral L₁-L₅, L₇-S₂ DRG were sectioned, but L₆ DRG was spared, animals surviving for 7 or 14 days after operation respectively); acupuncture spared DRG 7th day and 14th day groups (electro-needle stimulation was performed alternativly at two groups acupuncture point including Zusanli and Xuanzhong , Futu and Sanyinjiao located in the distribution area of spinal nerve L₆ DRG in operation side only one time everyday for 30 min for 7 days following unilateral partial root rhizotomy, animals surviving for 7 or 14 days after operation respectively). 5 cats were used in every group. L₆ dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord of every group were taken out and were made into 20um frozen sections. Then, sections were stained under the same condition using specific c-fos (1:1000) and c-jun (1:200) antibody by the immunohistochemistry ABC method. The distribution and the number of c-fos and c-jun positive neurons in spared DRG (L₆), spinal lamina II and Clarke'nucleus (L₃) of each animal were oberserved and counted. Data were analyzed by one-way anova and q test.Result: In normal adult cats, c-jun immunoreactivity was observed in every kind of neurons of L₆ DRG , neurons and glial cells of spinal lamina II (L₃, L₅, L₆) and Clarke' nucleus (L₃); c-fos immunoreactivity was observed in every kind of neurons of L₆ DRG , neurons and glial cells of Clarke' nucleus (L₃), but there is no c-fos immunoreactivity in spinal lamina II (L₃, L₅, L₆). After partial dorsal root rhizotomy, the number of c-jun positive neurons in spared DRG has no apparent change compared with that of nomal group (P>0.05 ), but that of spinal lamina II (L₃, L₅, L₆) and Clarke' nucleus (L₃) increased apparently than that of normal group(P<0.01) . There is no difference about number of c-jun positive neurons between after operation 7th day and 14 th group (P>0.05) . The number of c-fos positive neurons in spared DRG has no apparent change compared with that of nomal group(P>0.05), but that of Clarke' nucleus (L₃) increased apparently than that of normal group (P<0.01) . Spinal lamina II (L₃, L₅, L₆) has still no c-fos expression. There is also no difference about the number of c-fos positive neurons between 7th day and 14th operation group (P>0.05) . After acupuncture spared DRG, the number of c-jun positive neurons in spared DRG and Le spinal lamina II increased apparently than that of normal and operation groups (P<0.05) , that of L₃, L₅ spinal lamina II and Clarke'nucleus (L₃) increased apparently than that of normal group (P<0.05) ,but that of L₃, L₅ spinal lamina II and Clarke' nucleus (L₃) hadn't significant change compared with that of operation group .There is no difference about the number of c-jun positive neurons between 7th day and 14th acupuncture group (P>0.05) . The number of c-fos positive neurons in spared DRG increased apparently than that of normal and operation group (P<0.01) ,and that of Clarke' nucleus (L₃) increased apparently than that of normal group (P<0.01) , but that of Clarke' nucleus (L₃) hadn't significant change compared with that of operation group (P>0.05) , and spinal lamina II (L₃, L₅, L₆) has still no c-fos expression. There is no difference in number of c-fos positive neurons between 7th and 14th day acupuncture group(P>0.05) .Conclution: partial dorsal root rhizotomy can up-regulate expression of c-jun in spinal lamina II and Clarke' nucleus (L₍3...