본 연구는 개의 궁둥신경을 결찰하여 국소적 신경 손상을 유발시키고, 이에 고빈도(100Hz), 저강도(0.5mA)의 전침자극을 족삼리(ST36), 곡지(LI11), 음릉선(SP9)에 배혈하여 진통효과 및 척수 요수부(L5) 뒷뿔에서 BDNF 발현양상을 관찰하기 위해 면역조직화학염색을 실시해 다음과 같은 결과를 산출하였다. 전침자극군에서 BDNF의 발현은 궁둥신경 결찰로 인해 국소적 신경손상이 유발된 실험동물의 척수 요수부 뒷뿔에서 현저하게 높은 수준이 관찰되었다. 전침자극에 의해 통증역치가 대체로 증가하였는데 48시간 후에 최대의 통증 역치를 보였고(p<.01), 72시간 후부터는 감소하여 전침에 의한 진통작용은 단기적 효과가 있었다. 시간경과에 따라 BDNF 면역 반응성이 증가하였으나 48시간에 최대치를 보인 후(p<.01), 72시간부터는 감소하는 양상을 보였다. BDNF에 면역양성반응을 보인 신경세포들은 큰신경세포(large neuron), 중간신경세포(medium sized neuron), 및 작은 신경세포(small neuron)로 구분하여 관찰되었는데, 작은신경세포가 BDNF 발현의 주된 표적세포였다. 결론적으로 전침자극이 국소적 신경신경 손상 후 진통효과 및 신경가소성을 유발시키는 신경영양성인자인 BDNF 발현에 매우 효과적인 매체인 것으로 판명되었다.
The purpose of this study was carried out to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture on BDNF expression in lumbar spinal cord(L5) of dog with sciatic nerve crash injury. 20 male dogs were randomly devided into two groups, a control group and a electroacupuncture group on ST36, LI11 and SP9 with 100Hz and 0.5mA. The dogs were sacrificed at 24h, 48h, 72h and 7day after sciatic nerve crash injury by ligation. The pain threshold was recorded by Analgesy-meter. After making lumbar spinal cord slide sections, they were immunostained with BDNF antisera(1:1000). : The pain threshold of electroacupuncture group was higher than control ne, and maximied at 48h(p<0.01), and had tendency to decrease from 72h. The numbers of BDNF immunoreactive neurons of electroacupuncture group were increased than those of control group. Especially the numbers of BDNF immunoreactive neurons at 24h and 72h(p<0.05), and 48h(p<0.01) were different statistically. The BDNF immunoreactive neurons in lumbar spinal cord expressed by electroacu puncture were classified into large neurons, medium-sized neurons and small neurons, but the small neurons were main target of BDNF expression by electroacupuncture. In onclusion, the increase of pain threshold and numbers of BDNF immunoreactive neurons in lumbar spinal cord of dog showed that electroacupuncture could a good therapeutic tool for analgesia and BDNF expression to prtect central nervous system.
