Electroacupuncture Treatment Attenuates Paclitaxel-Induced Neuropathic Pain in Rats via Inhibiting Spinal Glia and the TLR4/NF-κB Pathway

Figures & data

Figure 1 Schematic representation of the experimental procedure.

Abbreviations: PTX, paclitaxel; VEH, vehicle; EA, electroacupuncture.

Figure 2 Effect of EA treatment on body weight of experimental rats. (A) Ratio of body weight (divided by baseline weight); (B) growth rate of body weight in Control (n=7), PTX (n=8), PTX + EA (n=7) and PTX + sham EA (n=7) groups. Data are presented as mean ± SEM.

Abbreviations: PTX, paclitaxel; EA, electroacupuncture.

Figure 3 Effect of EA treatment on PTX-induced mechanical allodynia. (A) EA treatment significantly increased MWL in left hind paw of rats. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 compared with Control, ^##P<0.01 compared with PTX+EA. (B) EA treatment significantly increased MWL in right hind paw of rats. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 compared with Control; ^##P<0.01 compared with PTX+EA. (C) Overall effect (AUC) of EA treatment on PTX-induced mechanical allodynia. **P<0.01 compared with Control; ^##P<0.01 compared with PTX; ^&&P<0.01 compared with PTX + sham EA. Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n≥7).

Abbreviations: MWL, mechanical withdrawal latency; AUC, area under the curve; PTX, paclitaxel; EA, electroacupuncture.

Figure 4 Protein expressions of TMEM119 and GFAP in lumbar spinal cord from experimental rats. (A, B) Representative Western blots of TMEM119 protein and relative level in spinal cord (n=4 in each group). (C, D) Representative Western blots of GFAP protein and relative level in spinal cord (n=3 in each group). *P<0.05, **P<0.01 compared with Control; ^#P<0.05, ^##P<0.01 compared with PTX; ^&P<0.05, ^&&P<0.01 compared with PTX + sham EA. Data are presented as mean ± SEM.

Abbreviations: PTX, paclitaxel; EA, electroacupuncture.

Figure 5 Protein expressions of TLR4 and NF-κB p65 in lumbar spinal cord from experimental rats. (A, B) Representative Western blot of TLR4 protein and relative level in spinal cord (n=4 in each group). (C, D) Representative Western blot of NF-κB p65 protein and relative level in spinal cord (n=3 in each group). **P<0.01 compared with Control; ^#P<0.05, ^##P<0.01 compared with PTX; ^&P<0.05, ^&&P<0.01 compared with PTX + sham EA.

Abbreviations: TLR4, toll-like receptor 4; PTX, paclitaxel; EA, electroacupuncture.

Figure 6 Effect of EA treatment on PTX-induced production of (A) IL-1β and (B) TNF-α in lumbar spinal cord by ELISA. **P<0.01 compared with Control; ^##P<0.01 compared with PTX; ^&P<0.05, ^&&P<0.01 compared with PTX + sham EA. Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n≥7).

Abbreviations: PTX, paclitaxel; EA, electroacupuncture.

Figure 7 Effect of EA treatment on PTX-induced production of (A) IL-1β and (B) TNF-α in serum by ELISA. **P<0.01 compared with Control; ^##P<0.01 compared with PTX; ^&P<0.05, ^&&P<0.01 compared with PTX + sham EA. Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n≥7).

Abbreviations: PTX, paclitaxel; EA, electroacupuncture.

Figure 8 Schematic illustration of underlying mechanism in EA-mediated analgesia of PTX-induced neuropathic pain.

Abbreviations: TLR4, toll-like receptor 4; PTX, paclitaxel; EA, electroacupuncture.