Electroacupuncture Induces Bilateral S1 and ACC Epigenetic Regulation of Genes in a Mouse Model of Neuropathic Pain.

ABSTRACT: Clinical and animal studies have shown that acupuncture may benefit controlling neuropathic pain. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In a well-established mouse unilateral tibial nerve injury (TNI) model, we confirmed the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) in reducing mechanical allodynia and measured methylation and hydroxy-methylation levels in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), two cortical regions critically involved in pain processing. TNI resulted in increased DNA methylation of both the contra- and ipsilateral S1, while EA only reduced contralateral S1 methylation. RNA sequencing of the S1 and ACC identified differentially expressed genes related to energy metabolism, inflammation, synapse function, and neural

SUBMITTER: Ping X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10135579 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature