Comparative Proteomic Study of Spinal Cord after Applying Pulsed Radiofrequency to Dorsal Root Ganglion in the Rat

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pulsed radiofrequency treatment (pulsed RF) has recently been described as a non-neurodestructive or minimally neurodestructive alternative to radiofrequency heat lesions. However, there are few data to evaluate the mechanism of this therapy. The aim of this study is to explore the underlying mechanism of pulsed RF on spinal nervous system using comparative proteomic analysis. METHODS: L5 dorsal root ganglion was exposed to pulsed RF and sham treatment. Protein extracts from the spinal cord of both groups were analyzed using comparative proteomics to identify differentially expressed proteins. To validate the differential expression of proteins, we utilized western blotting and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The spinal cord taken from pulsed RF treated rats was found to underexpress 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase, mitochondrial [Precursor]. Immunostaining density of gamma-aminobutyric acid measured from the spinal cord taken from pulsed RF treated rats was significantly increased compared with sham treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that the decreased expression of 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase, mitochondrial [Precursor] and increased expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the spinal cord after exposure of the lumbar dorsal root ganglion to pulsed RF. That might be the possible underlying mechanism of the analgesic effect of pulsed RF.