Effect of Acupuncture on Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate Response Element Binding Protein and Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor mRNA Expression in Hippocampus of Depression Rats

Objective To investigate the effect of acupuncture on cyclic adenosine monophosphate( cAMP) response element binding protein(CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) mRNA expression in the hippocampus of depression rats. Methods Thirty-two adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, blank group, model group, medicine group and acupuncture group, 8 rats in each group. Rats in the blank group were fed by the conventional method, and the rats in the other three groups were given chronic unpredictable mild stress to establish depression model. After modeling, the acupuncture group was given electroacupuncture on unilateral Hegu and Taichong acupionts alternatively for 15 minutes, once daily, for 21 continuous days; the medicine group was treated with fluoxetine hydrochloride, once per day for 3 weeks. On the twenty-second day after experiment, all the rats were executed by cervical dislocation, and then the hippocampus tissue was taken out and reserved in the refrigerator at-70℃. CREB and BDNF mRNA expressions in the hippocampus were detected by fluorescence real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction( RT-PCR). Results The expression levels of CREB and BDNF mRNA in rats hippocampus of the model group were significantly decreased( P 0.01 compared with those of the blank group). CREB mRNA expression in rats hippocampus of the medicine group and the acupuncture group was significantly increased(P0.05 compared with that of the model group), while BDNF mRNA expression in rats hippocampus of the both groups had no significant difference from that of the model group( P 0.05). Conclusion One of the mechanisms of acupuncture for relieving depression is probably related with the improvement of CREB mRNA expression in the hippocampus of depression rats.