Effects Of Electro-acupuncture On The Expression Of Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor (CNTF) In Spared Dorsal Root Ganglion And Associated Spinal Laminae Following Removal Of Adjacent Dorsal Root Ganglia In Cats

Objective: To evaluate the plastic changes of CNTF in the left sixth lumbar dorsalroot ganglion (L₆ DRG), spinal cord in representative spinal segments L₃, and L₆ and in the nucleus dorsalis (ND) at L₃ segments after acupuncture in cats subjected to removal of L₁-L₅ and L₇-S₂ DRGs.Method: Senvety male adult cats were divided into seven groups (n=10 in eachgroup), and every five cats were used for immunohistochemistry and western blot respectively in all groups. Group I were normal control animals. Groups II, III and IV cats were subjected to surgical removal of the left L₁-L₅ and L₇-S₂ DRG, but sparing the left L₆ dorsal root ganglioa GroupsV, VI and VII cats were first subjected to the aforesaid ganglionectomy, then followed immediately with electrical stimulation on the operated side at acupuncture points (xuewei 穴位) zusanli-xuanzhong (足三里-悬钟), and futu-sanyinjiao (伏兔-三阴交), known to lie in L₆ dermatome. They were allowed to survive for 3(Groups II and V cats), 7(Groups III and VI cats) or 14 (Groups IV and VII cats) days after operation. Surgery was performed under deep anesthesia achieved with an intraperitoneal injection of 3.5% pentobarbital sodium (1.3 ml/kg body weight). All the DRG together with a small segment of the respective dorsal roots measuring 3 mm long from L₁ through S₂, sparing the L₆, were removed through the intervertebral foramina.