Proteomic Changes by Acupuncture Stimulation at HT7 in the Hippocampus of Rat Pups

AbstractObjectives : Hippocampus, a region of temporal lobe, plays an important role in the pathogenic mechanisms of brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, depression and temporal lobe epilepsy. This research is designed to investigate hippocampal changes after acupuncture stimulation at Shinmun(HT7) using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis(2-DE).Methods : On postnatal-day 15, rat pups were randomly devided into Normal(NOR) or HT7 group. All of Pups kept with their mothers for 7 days, but pups in HT7 group received acupuncture stimulation at HT7 daily. On postnatal-day 21, hippocampus of each rat pup was dissceted 30 minutes after last acupuncture stimulation and the protein expressions were investigated using 2-DE.Results : After acupuncture stimulation at HT7, expression of 20 proteins were significantly increased. Succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydro-genase-like, transketolase, aconitate hydratase and phosphoglucomutase-1 were related to glucose methabolism. Eukaryotic initiation factor(eIF) 4A-II, eIF 4A-III, mitochondrial Tu translation elongation factor and chain A of crystal structure of the 70-Kda heat shock cognate protein involve in the protein synthesis in ribosome. Tubulin β-4 chain, tubulin T β-15 and tubulin α-1B chain comprise cytoskeleton. Glutathione S-transferase(GST) ω-1, GST P and GST Yb-3 can reduce oxidative stress. β-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein attachment protein is required for vesicular transport between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase plays a major role in lipid biosynthesis, creatine kinase U-type catalyses the conversion of creatine and consumes adenosine triphosphate to create phosphocreatine and adenosine diphosphate. Platelet- activating factor acetylhydrolase IB subunit alpha and voltage depedent anion-selective channel protein 2 were also increased.Conclusions : The results suggest that acupuncture stimulation at HT7 may enhance glucose and lipid metabolism, protein synthesis, cytoskeletal substance and anti-oxidative stress in hippocampus.Key words : acupuncture, acupoint, HT7, 2-dimensional electrophoresis