ABSTRACT
Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on depressive-like behavior, synaptic plasticity and 5-HTT protein expression of hippocampal CA1 region in the WKY model rats. Methods In this experiment, 10 male Wistar rats were selected as the normal group (Control), and 30 male WKY rats were randomly divided into model group, electroacupuncture group (EA) and sham needle group (Sham EA) . Behavioral testing was performed by the Sour Water Preference Experiment (SPT), the Open Field Experiment (OFT), and the Forced Swimming Experiment (FST) . The electrophysiological field potential experiment was used to detect the effect of electroacupuncture on LTP in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats with depression, which is the effect on synaptic plasticity. The expression of 5-HTT protein in hippocampal CA1 region was detected by Western blot. Results In the SPT, compared to the Control group, the sucrose solution intake was significantly reduced in the Model group (P ＜ 0.01) . It was improved after EA treatment compared to Sham EA group (P ＜ 0.05) . In the OFT, compared with the Control group, the center time, total move time, center distance, total distance, rearing and grooming incidents were all decreased in the Model group. Compared with the Model group, the center time and total move time in the EA group increased significantly after 3 weeks of treatment (P ＜0.05) . In the FST, duration of immobility was significantly (P ＜ 0.05) longer in the Model group comparing with the Control group. Compared with Sham EA group and Model group, the immobile time of EA group was significantly shorter (P ＜ 0.05) . Compared with the Control group, the fEPSP slope of the Model group was significantly shorter (P ＜ 0.001) .Compared with the Sham EA group, the fEPSP slope of the EA group increased significantly (P ＜ 0.001) . And the LTP of Sham EA and Model groups induced failure in hippocampal CA1 region, the LTP induction was successful after EA treatment. Compared with the Control group, the expression of 5-HTT protein was significantly increased (P＜0.001) .Compared with Sham EA group, the expression of 5-HTT protein in EA group decreased (P ＜ 0.001) . Conclusion EA could alleviate depression-like behaviors in depression model rats and reverse the impairment of hippocampus synaptic plasticity by decrease the over-expression of 5-HTT protein in hippocampal CA1 region. It may be one of the mechanisms of EA on depression.
