Electroacupuncture Alleviates Neuropathic Pain by Inhibiting Spinal CCL2-Driven Microglial Activation.

ABSTRACT: Electroacupuncture (EA) has shown analgesic potential for neuropathic pain, yet its underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate whether EA relieves neuropathic pain by modulating CCL2/CCR2 signaling and microglial activation in the spinal cord. Neuropathic pain was induced in rats by L5 spinal nerve ligation. EA was administered at acupoints ST36 and GB34 (1 mA, 2 Hz, 30 min) daily from postoperative days 3 to 7. Rats were assigned to anesthetized control (ANE), non-acupoint stimulation (NAP), and acupoint stimulation (ACU) groups. Pain behavior was evaluated using paw withdrawal threshold and latency. Western blot and immunofluorescence were used to assess CCL2, CCR2, Iba1, IL-1β, and TNF-α expression in the L4-L6 spinal cord. EA signifi

SUBMITTER: Sindhuri V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12470026 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature