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Increased nerve growth factor signaling in sensory neurons of early diabetic rats is corrected by electroacupuncture.

ABSTRACT: Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN), characterized by early hyperalgesia and increased nerve growth factor (NGF), evolves in late irreversible neuropathic symptoms with reduced NGF support to sensory neurons. Electroacupuncture (EA) modulates NGF in the peripheral nervous system, being effective for the treatment of DPN symptoms. We hypothesize that NGF plays an important pathogenic role in DPN development, while EA could be useful in the therapy of DPN by modulating NGF expression/activity. Diabetes was induced in rats by streptozotocin (STZ) injection. One week after STZ, EA was started and continued for three weeks. NGF system and hyperalgesia-related mediators were analyzed in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and in their spinal cord and skin innervation territories. Our results show that four weeks long diabetes increased NGF and NGF receptors and deregulated intracellular signaling mediators of DRG neurons hypersensitization; EA in diabetic rats decreased NGF and NGF receptors, normalized c-Jun N-terminal and p38 kinases activation, decreased transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 ion channel, and possibly activated the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (Nf- ? B). In conclusion, NGF signaling deregulation might play an important role in the development of DPN. EA represents a supportive tool to control DPN development by modulating NGF signaling in diabetes-targeted neurons.

SUBMITTER: Nori SL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3654322 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Increased nerve growth factor signaling in sensory neurons of early diabetic rats is corrected by electroacupuncture.

Nori Stefania Lucia SL Rocco Maria Luisa ML Florenzano Fulvio F Ciotti Maria Teresa MT Aloe Luigi L Manni Luigi L

Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM 20130421

Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN), characterized by early hyperalgesia and increased nerve growth factor (NGF), evolves in late irreversible neuropathic symptoms with reduced NGF support to sensory neurons. Electroacupuncture (EA) modulates NGF in the peripheral nervous system, being effective for the treatment of DPN symptoms. We hypothesize that NGF plays an important pathogenic role in DPN development, while EA could be useful in the therapy of DPN by modulating NGF expression/activity. Diabetes ...[more]

PMID: 23710226

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Project description:ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of neural mobilization (NM) in the management of sensory dysfunction and nerve degeneration related to experimental painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN).MethodsThis is a pre-clinical animal study performed in the streptozocin-induced diabetic rat model. Three groups were included: a treatment group of rats with PDN receiving NM under anesthesia (PDN-NM, n = 10), a sham treatment group of rats with PDN that received only anesthesia (PDN-Sham, n = 9), and a vehicle control group with nondiabetic animals (Vehicle, n = 10). Rats in the PDN-NM and PDN-Sham groups received 1 treatment session on days 10, 12, and 14 after streptozocin injection, with a 48-hour rest period between sessions. Behavioral tests were performed using von Frey and Plantar tests. Evaluation for peripheral nerve degeneration was performed through measuring protein gene product 9.5-positive intra-epidermal nerve fiber density in hind-paw skin biopsies. All measurements were performed by a blinded investigator.ResultsThe behavioral tests showed that a single NM session could reduce hyperalgesia, which was maintained for 48 hours. The second treatment session further improved this treatment effect, and the third session maintained it. These results suggest that it requires multiple treatment sessions to produce and maintain hypoalgesic effects. Skin biopsy analysis showed that the protein gene product 9.5-positive intra-epidermal nerve fiber density was higher on the experimental side of the PDN-NM group compared with the PDN-Sham group, suggesting NM may mitigate the degeneration of peripheral nerves.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that NM may be an effective method to manage experimentally induced PDN, potentially through mitigation of nerve degeneration. Further studies are needed to develop standardized protocols for clinical use.ImpactThese findings provide neurophysiological evidence for the use of NM in PDN and can form the basis for the development of physical therapy-based programs in clinics.

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Increased nerve growth factor signaling in sensory neurons of early diabetic rats is corrected by electroacupuncture.

Publications

Increased nerve growth factor signaling in sensory neurons of early diabetic rats is corrected by electroacupuncture.

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